I would like to live and work in Japan teaching English. Is it possible to do this for the rest of my life?

It's possible, but you really wouldn't want to do it. English teachers are basically considered losers in Japan. Those who try to make a career out of it completely bewilder the Japanese (and most other foreigners here). Not because the teachers here are bad people, but because the job is so completely crappy. If you really want to be in Japan, becoming a teacher (temporarily, with any luck) is a way to achieve that goal. If you really want to be a teacher, being in Japan is not gonna help; staying and working in your home country is the only way to go. .

Oh, boy. I could bend your ear about this one for hours on end. I taught in Japan for ten years. You're right about the renewal every two years, but this changed in 2000 so that those in Japan over 10 years could renew every five years. I was one of the lucky first ones to receive this new visa. Anyway, it's entirely possible to spend your working life in Japan, but the pay doesn't necessarily increase as you go along. When I left, 250,000 yen a month was standard starting pay for most ESL teachers. To retire in Japan is a special problem; most companies are reluctant to set you up with a retirement program. And, citizenship (the last I heard) takes up to 20 years, and requires proof of great proficiency in Japanese. My advice to you would be, go, and make as much as you can, being careful to save as much money as possible. You can always make decisions about where to retire later on. But, be aware of this: no matter how many years of teaching you do in Japan, unless you have a degree in teaching, and obtain a teaching certificate in a U.S. state, switching from teaching in Japan to teaching in the U.S. could be nearly impossible. I wish you the best of luck.

I am teaching the English in Tokyo for seven years. The student is nice and they liking me very much my lesson. My degree is engineering, but for teaching is so easy. Student is very nice and to give me some favor. I am planning continue to retirement. It is nice Tokyo, much better than my home country. The Japanese people is loving me. It is nice. .

Yes, it is possible to do it for the rest of your life. I worked in Japan for 6 years as a full-time English teacher for the YMCA. (Yes, the YMCA!) The pay was not that bad at the time, and I got full benefits including health insurance, a retirement savings plan, and rent assistance. In Western Japan, to rent an apartment, a security deposit (and key money) equal to 3 months rent must be paid in advance to the realtor to be able to secure an apartment. In other parts of Japan, I heard some places ask for 10 or even 12 months rent as a security deposit. My employer paid for that. In my case, I could already speak, read, and write Japanese while living in the States, so it was easy for me to get work in Japan by just sending in my resume to several of my friends back there. I was lucky because I went straight to Japan with a work visa in hand. (That was in the mid-80s, though.) One thing to remember is that as you get older, your parents and other relatives will get ill and pass away. Be sure you have money saved up to make trips back to visit your relatives. Also, ask yourself if you are prepared to spend your old age in Japan with nothing to return to in the States. If you have a Japanese wife, as I do, this will be possible, but you must keep this in mind even if you do meet and marry the right girl over there. I would advise you to get a degree in Linguistics, English, or Education. If possible, an MATESOL degree (what I have) would enable you to get teaching jobs at Universities in Japan, which pay better than language schools. For now, get all yourself ready and try working in Japan for 2 years. After that, you'll have a better idea of whether or not you can conceivably spend the rest of your life there. While there, learn Japanese and interact with the Japanese-at-large as much as possible. Then you will truly know if Japan is right for you.

i don't see any reason why not. i'm sure you can keep renewing your visa or apply for citizenship. i was living in Japan teaching for two years. i knew native north americans like yourself who had been there for ten plus years and had no plans to leave. one american i know over there is married to a a japanese girl and they have a child. it is quite possible to work in one school for a year or so then change. you can teach at language schools, secondary schools, colleges etc. There are many possibilities. Also, if you go to a big city and make the right contacts it is possible to change career. However, without citixenship you would need your employer to sponsor your VISA. I don't know much about the health and retirement benefits but i am pretty sure they would be good. Japan is a country run in a very good way. It wuld also depend on what type of company you are working for. I was working for a japanese company which was great. Be prepared for hard work but you will be rewarded if you work for a J company. Foreign companies may take advantage a bit. Have you been to Japan before? I wouldn't go planning the rest of your life there if not. Don't go thinking that you can never leave. take it as it comes. it doesn't suit everyone. also, do you really want to teach? or are you just using teaching to get you to Japan? I didn't want to teach, just wanted to go to japan, now i love teaching!!

It is certainly possible to teach for the rest of your life. Since you have a Bachelor's degree, you'll have no problem getting a job. You have to renew a contract every year. It is certainly possible to teach in Japan for 40 years. If you meet a wife in Japan, life will be a lot easier for you. I've been here for 2 years but couldn't imagine staying forever. Good luck.

interesting that you like it so much. I live here now and the people are so shy and quiet it's hard for me to embrace the culture. i would say get a teaching credential so you won't make so little. if you can work at an international school instead, teaching regular subjects, you will make alot more. your salary as an english teacher won't go up as much as if you were a teacher in an international school. for info on teaching abroad, check out www.joyjobs.com your benefits will be better and because the school handles your visa, etc. you can stay for the rest of your life. there are many teachers at our school that have worked here for 30 years or so. check out: Tokyo International School Seisen and St Marys International School American School in Japan Sacred Heart Yokohama International School Canadian Academy in Kobe the salaries and benefits are good...much better than teaching english. Good luck!

It's possible, and plenty of people do it. However, it's not the most exciting of existences. I'd recommend starting out as a teacher here while you study Japanese, then move across into something more interesting. The long-term teachers here, particularly those still working at the major chains -- Nova, Aeon, Gaba, etc. -- are a pretty sad bunch. Work hard to build Japan-applicable skills and you can avoid the soul-crushing drudgery of years of teaching. Nothing wrong with starting out as a teacher; in fact, I recommend it. Just don't get stuck there. Japan treats foreigners comparatively badly, while also offering them bountiful opportunities. Stick at it, work hard and you'll be rewarded. If being a teacher is your ultimate goal, however, stay in your home country. Seriously. .

After about 6 months you will be sick of teaching English. You'll spend every Monday morning of your life asking Mr. Suzuki, "What did you do on the weekend?" And Mr. Suzuki will invariably reply, "I wash my car." Basically; the schools want people under 35, because who wants an old guy for a teacher? So you would be good for about ten years, then you'll just be a joke that the school wants to be rid of-"henna gaijin". There's always fresh meat arriving at Narita who can do the job as well as you can, so why should they bother with offering you a retirement plan? I don't mean to be negative, but that's just how it is.