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From: declan_murphy@hotmail.com
Newsgroups: fj.life.in-japan,soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Japan.
Date: 7 Aug 2006 07:34:47 -0700
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B Anderson wrote:
> There are many countries in the world.
>
> And, expatriates from western countries live in many different
> countries, for various reasons.
>
> However, Japan seems to be the only country that people dream of living
> in for the sake of living there.
>
> Look at the internet forums regarding living and working in Japan...
> there are thousands of posts from people seeking any way possible to
> make a living of any sort in Japan. The aim to live in Japan IS the goal
> in itself.

We discussed this briefly in February. I think it might have been Mike
Cash who pointed out how in the internet forums you mention, he would
encounter foreigners (despite not having actually visited Japan)
seeking just about any way to live & work here, and claiming that they
would do anything to make it possible (with the sole exception of
getting a degree to make them eligible for a visa). People like the
drongo who answered your post ferinstance.

> Of course, some people have a strong interest in a particular country. A
> "Francophile" might dream of living in France. But the intensity and
> widespreadness does not approach that of Japan.
>
> Why is this. Obviously there are many unique and interesting things
> about Japan... but same for any country.

I have no idea. One of my gigs is running a large language school for
foreigners learning Japanese, so indirectly some of these "Japan
fetish-ists" fill my rice bowl, but that doesn't mean I understand them
and their motivations. When I first meet students I'm often asked "what
brought you to Japan" and "how long have you been here", but the
answers don't seem to compute with the preconceptions.

John W seems to have a theory close to the truth.