Living in Japan - Housing, Transport - Case Study Example

Student Name: Tutor: Title: NEGOTIATION Course: NEGOTIATION Japan’s BRIEFING DOCUMENT Living in Japan Living in Japan offers life in an intriguing country that augments busy, exciting and modern cities of places like Tokyo and Kobe, and Osaka remarkable for its traditional and historical rural countryside of places like Matsumoto. Japan exudes a high standard of living that is accompanied with high standards of educational facilities and health care. The Japanese culture is utterly unique and it is a fascinating experience for any expatriate living in this country. Japan offers an opportunity to an expatriate to experience a different way of life from the Western culture and it is easy to adapt (Phillips, 2003). There about two million expatriates living in Japan and most come from the other neighboring Asian nations. Japan has a distinct and unique culture that represents a westerner with a chance to learn something new. Citizens of Japan particularly the youth embrace western cultures as well as trends and embrace westerners positively. This is an encouraging fact for any expatriate who wishes to work in Japan. Whereas language and communication can be challenging, there are English-speaking doctors as well as international schools available in cities such as Kobe. Japan experiences four seasons that features cold winters and hot summers with temperatures rising to about 40 degrees centigrade. Everything in Japan is associated with ingrained cultural and social behaviors that possess a tremendous effect on the job market. This fact will have an impact on hiring or recruitment of locals to work for SMC (Sorensen & Funck, 2007). Expatriates living in Japan have opportunities in the skilled and unskilled work realms. English speakers are of high demand in Japan and job opportunities for language teachers are overwhelming. The need of SMC to have some support staff drawn from the United Kingdom cannot be overemphasized in this case. Figure 1: Public Transport in Japan Personal connections and marketable skills are determining factors of suitability of employment in Japanese labour market. Online job search engines have rose in popularity in Japan. Formal contracts like rental agreements are normally legalized using an Inkan rather than using a signature. An Inkan describes a seal that bears the last name of the owner which is written in Japanese. Foreigners are also expected to apply Inkans on contracts. The Inkans can be bought from stationary stores and newsagents. It is not easy at all to back out of national health in Japan once you have been registered. An expatriate has to make a decision well in advance whether or not to take up insurance and if one decides to take up insurance privately, it is important not to register with NHI if advised so as he registers the alien registration. Figure 2: Tokyo Disneyland Web Page Any person intending to important a pet into the country he is supposed to liaise with the Japanese Animal Service forty days before his arrival (Phillips, 2003). There is a directive that forbids citizens of Japan from hiring or sponsoring foreign maids. Expatriates who live in Japan and are in senior management position of a well-known company can be permitted to do so. There are plenty of expatriates guides that are available that makes foreigners understand the culture and traditions of Japanese people. Kobe, Japan Kobe is found in the western end of enormous central coastal urban belt of Japan in Kansai regions that comprises of Kyoto and Osaka. The population at Kobe is about 1.5 million people and is located thirty minutes to the east from Osaka, and 3 hours by bulletin train to Tokyo. Industrial and port areas dot the coast, with a mixture of residential and commercial areas spread around hillsides to more mountainous places in the north and has some urban centers after the mountains. The city council from 1960s has vigorously been involved in developing the coastline, with main land reclamations strategies to develop islands for the new harbor, residential, commercial, and industrial uses. The city council has also promoted the coming up of new settlements in its periphery (Ishida, 2007). Consequently the inner areas of the city were somehow forgotten. The inner areas have furthermore been impacted on by major transport works like the Hanshin Expressway as well as the bulletin train. Kobe was rated by 2007 as one of the seventeen cities within Japan that are designated to possess a high degree of municipal autonomy in policy areas such as public health, social welfare, as well as urban planning. The population of the city advanced rapidly in the 20th Century from about 200,000 people in 1900 to almost 1.5 million in the present time (Evans, 2001). The levels of population recovered rapidly from the aftermath of the Second World War and the impact of the earthquake that happened in 1995 (Ito, 2007). The growth was enhanced by migration into Japan and there is a reasonable percentage of non-Japanese residents hence making any foreigners to feel comfortable in this cosmopolitan city. Figure 3: Kobe, Japan There plenty in terms of social amenities like gyms, banks and theaters hence giving a resident a chance to live a comfortable life and grow his social connections. Housing There three types of housing in Japan including publicly subsidized housing, rental housing and privately owned housing. In regard to publicly subsidized housing and rental housing, it is very crucial to know that one cannot live with somebody who is not of his or her family unless he gets permission from his landlord. If one is planning to live with a friend temporarily on arrival in Japan, it is important to look for a place of his own as soon as possible. For one to rent a place in Japan it is crucial to be acquainted with the terms and customs of rental system in Japan. It is important to consult a real estate agent when one wants to rent private rental housing. It is good for one to know what he is looking for in terms of size, rent and any other condition. A lease contract requires that one has to have money for five to six months’ rent. For the purpose of looking for a place to live, one has to use a real estate agent within the neighborhood in which you are planning to settle (Sorensen & Funck, 2007). It is important for one to describe vividly to the real-estate agent the kind of place he is looking for. There will be a contract known as lease contract that one is expected to enter into during renting an apartment or a house. The term required for this contract is generally two years. A tenant is not allowed to remodel or renovate the place or allow anyone to live with him without the permission of the landlord. A tenant is not allowed to sublease the entire or part of the place rented. Public housing comprise of housing provided by local entities like municipalities and public-service corporations like Urban Renaissance Agency. In both instances a foreign tenant is required to be registered as a resident and has to meet certain income set principles. One has to seek more information from the Urban Renaissance Agency or the local municipality (Funck, 2007). After one has found a place and signed a lease contract, you are required to connect utilities in order to get situated. Procedures for moving in vary from place to place depending on the region arrangement. It is important to produce a resident card when applying to get registration of residential address. Before one vacates it is crucial to clarify the required procedure for vacating prior to signing a lease contract. A resident has to file proper registration of change of address in the local municipal office in case of moving into a new residence. A resident card and a moving certificate are needed for this procedure (Sorensen, 2002). Moreover, the change of address in case of a driver’s license, transferring children to another school, or seal registration at the local municipal office is needed where applicable. Figure 4: City of Kobe today International schools in Kobe There are several international schools in Kobe City with English and American curriculum that expatriates can take their children to be taught. The schools have been accredited by international organs of education from the US and England. Marist Brothers International School Figure 5: MBIS Website Page Marist Brothers International School is an international Montessori-Grade 12 school that was founded in 1951 and it is located in Kobe City. The school is accredited by a US-based education organ and has an enrollment of about three hundred Japanese students and others from other nationalities across the globe. The school has numerous course levels and types to cater for the needs of its students with different needs. Canadian Academy Figure 6: Canadian Academy Web page Canadian Academy is an independent pre-K-12 located in Kobe, Japan, and was established in 1913 on the man-made Rokko Island. The student body comprises of more than 35 nationalities. The school moved to Rokko Island from Nagamine-dai adjacent to the city of Kobe in a residential area. The school is accredited by internal organs of education and the curriculum is offered in English. Any expatriate can find this school attractive. St. Michael’s International School Figure 7: St. Michael's Internal School Web page St. Michael international school offers its curriculum in English and its accredited by education organ from England. Expatriate who want to pursue English curriculum will find St. Michael’s International School an appropriate place. Kobe Beef For lovers of meat, beef in Kobe is regarded as the epitome of fine dining. A taste of the beef proves this point to be true. Beef in Kobe is obtained from the Tajima-gyu cattle breed found in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan where Kobe is the capital as well as the meat’s namesake. Tajima-gyu was introduced as a work animal within the rice cultivation industry in the course of the 2nd Century and it became isolated from other breeds in parts of arable land in the mountainous landscape of Japan. The distinctive feeding methods and herd isolation are reported to have occasioned to the unique texture and taste. Kobe beef is famous for its ever superior flavor, high levels of intramuscular fat as well as tenderness, hence providing the meat with an admired marbled appearance (Sorensen, 2005). For the purpose of retaining its maximum flavor, Kobe beef is not to be cooked more than medium-rare. Figure 8: Steak of Kobe beef The feeling of the meat melting away in one’s mouth gives Kobe beef an extraordinary culinary experience. In comparison with the United States meat ratings, Kobe beef is ranked highly and belongs to a category classification in Japan referred to as Platinum. The prized value of Kobe beef can also be attributed to mysterious rearing methods said to add the delectable texture and flavor of the meat. There about three main stories that have come up about Kobe beef that have turned into urban legend status. For instance it is rumoured that cows are given beef to accentuate their appetite (Norton & Shibusawa, 2011). Secondly, that cows are massaged on daily basis with Japanese rice wine that gives it the marbling that the Kobe beef that is famous for. Lastly, classical music is played to the cows for relaxation and during feeding hence the music improves their appetite. These stories give the imagery of cows being pampered as kings hence enhancing the decadence of a meal made of Kobe beef. Figure 9: The Food Recommendation and conclusion Japan is an interesting country to live in and a mixture of culture and advanced technology offer a visit with a variety of choices. Japan has gorgeous landscape that will make nature lovers to be fascinated. The isolation of Japan from Asia and its lofty history have created a very unique culture and an immense variety of remarkable landmarks and attractions in the entire country. Tokyo which is the capital city of Japan is the largest city in the world. Majority of tourist commence their journeys from Narita Airport (Funck, 2007). Tokyo is dotted with traditional Japanese architecture and it exudes the beauty of the country’s religious and cultural traditions. There are other natural features, art institutions and religious shrines that are a fascination to anyone visiting Japan. Figure 10: Japan's Landscape It is exciting to live in this beautiful country surrounded by amazing people and a unique culture besides breathtaking landscapes. Japanese are friendly and this is equated to properness in Japanese culture (Phillips, 2003). Their social interaction is formed on structures and people are organized into groups. Sometimes is challenging to break through the invisible barriers but many people have managed to live in Japan long enough to accomplish their objectives and deliver on companies’ expectations. It can be done for anyone who has passion and purpose in life! Bibliography Evans, N., 2001, Community planning in Japan: The case of Mano and its experience in the Hanshin Earthquake, PhD School of East Asian Studies, Sheffield University. Funck, C., 2007, ‘Machizukuri, civil society, and the transformation of Japanese city planning: case from Kobe’, in A. Sorensen and C. Funck (eds) Living cities in Japan: citizens' movements, machizukuri and local environments, Routledge, London, pp. 137–156 Ishida, Y., 2007, ‘The concept of machi-sodate and urban planning: the case of Tokyu Tama Den'en Toshi’, in A. Sorensen and C. Funck (eds) Living cities in Japan: citizens' movements, machizukuri and local environments, Routledge, London, pp. 115–136 Ito, A., 2007, ‘Earthquake reconstruction machizukuri and citizen participation’, in A. Sorensen and C. Funck (eds) Living cities in Japan: citizens' movements, machizukuri and local environments, Routledge, London, pp.157–171 Norton, J., & Shibusawa, T., 2011, Living in Japan: A Guide to Living, Working, and Traveling in Japan, Tuttle Publishing. Phillips, J., 2003, In the Know in Japan: The Indispensable Guide to Working and Living in Japan, Diversified Publishing, Tokyo. Sorensen, A., 2002, The making of urban Japan, Routledge, New York Sorensen, A., 2005, ‘The developmental state and the extreme narrowness of the public realm: the twentieth century evolution of Japanese planning culture’, in B. Sanyal (ed) Comparative Planning Cultures, Routledge, London, pp. 223–258 Sorensen, A. and Funck, C. (eds) , 2007, Making Livable Places: citizens' movements, Machizukuri and living environments in Japan, Routledge, London Read More