On 8 Jul 2003 13:14:06 -0700, moris_zen@hotmail.com (Moris_zen)
belched the alphabet and kept on going with:

>Answering any of my questions would be mostly appreciated.
>I am considering relocating to Japan - Tokyo (from a western state
>US/England).

Huh?

>My company will pay for an apartment and health insurance .

Must be nice.

>I have a few questions and would appreciate advise from someone who
>experienced it .
>1.I will be moving with my wife and 2 year old child .Will she be able
>to work there , how can a work permit be obtained ?

Sorry, don't know on that one.

>2.What is the price of kinder gardens ? is it public/privet?

The price is going to depend on whether you go with public or private.
Having already glanced down to question #7, I really don't think a
little thing like this is going to put you in the poorhouse. Don't
give it a second thought.

>3.What kind of difficulties should my wife and i expect ?

Since your company is going to be wiping your butt for you, I can't
think of any serious ones. Just some minor annoyances which if you
take on with an adventurous spirit shouldn't be particularly
burdensome.

>4.What should I expect the cost of living to be ?

Well, you don't have to worry about housing. As F. Gump said, "Which
is good, 'cause that's one less thing."

We don't know where you're going to live, or to what standard of
living you expect to live. So there's really no way to answer that
question. Again, referring to question #7, if a family of three can't
get by handsomely, or at least comfortably, on that amount then you'll
be getting no sympathy from me. I'm feeding four on one hell of a lot
less than that, and haven't lost one to starvation yet. Don't worry,
you'll be alright.

>5.What should I expect to receive in terms of salary (Technical
>(Engineer) support / Training / sales / Local foreign connection)?

How would we know? Shouldn't you ask your employer this?

>6.What kind of benefits should I request ?

How would we know? Shouldn't you ask your employer this?

>7.How does income tax work there (70K$-150k$)?

Way out of my range. Can't tell you. But with that amount of income,
you should perhaps concern yourself with what your tax obligations in
your home country are going to be when it comes to foreign earned
income.

>8.What types of health insurance are there , Costs ?

Most folks are one of the national health insurance plans. Premiums
are based on the previous year's income. Your first year, you won't
have a previous year's income to base it on, and your premiums will be
scandalously low. If you hang around for a second year, you may expect
an astronomical jump in the premium cost. Nothing unaffordable, mind
you, but a hell of a jump.

The weird thing is, if your income were to drop to zero for the entire
third year of your stay, your would still be facing premiums based on
the good salary from the second year.

>9.If a child is born there does he/she receive citizenship ? 

Not unless you or your wife is a Japanese citizen.

>how long do you need to stay there to receive citizenship?

There is no clear-cut answer on this one.

>10.Are Japanese open to foreigner or closed ?

Yes. No.

>11.What can I expect in terms of housing (2 bed room) / costs ?

Jesus, somebody else is providing you with the shit. Why not ask them?






--

Michael Cash



"There was a time, Mr. Cash, when I believed you must be the most useless
thing in the world. But that was before I read a Microsoft help file."

                                Prof. Ernest T. Bass
                                Mount Pilot College


http://www.sunfield.ne.jp/~mike/