10 Reasons Why I Have Never Left Japan

Japan is a place where many think they can make a whole shitload of quick money before having to get out and go back to their home countries. They make much of their money as English teachers before implosion gets to them.

In my time in Japan, I have seen more than a few foreign people implode. An implosion suggests that an explosion has occurred from the inside out. It is what happens when a person eats themselves away on the inside. They lock their thoughts away out of fear, or they lock them away because they have no one to tell them to. Not having anyone to talk to is the most common reason why foreign people in Japan self combust.

I have been living in Japan for over 15 years now. I enjoy living here. It is a nice place to live, I have a good job. Some friends (3 or 4). I can speak Japanese, but that does not mean that Japanese people are interested in speaking to me. You see, Japanese people automatically assume that foreign people can not, do not, will not, speak Japanese. They are often shocked when they hear a foreign person speaking Japanese and even when a non Japanese person speaks to them in Japanese, they still try to reply in un-intelligible English. But that is not the reason why I never leave this country.

The first reason out of 10 reasons why i never leave Japan is this:-

I am perfectly comfortable with my own company and do not feel the need to have to go and make friends with people that obviously do not want to be friends with me.

The second reason why I have chosen to make Japan my home is that it is actually a very beautiful country. I love taking photo's and there are so very many things that a person can take photo's of here in the land of the rising sun. There are so many national heritage listed places like Himeji Castle in Hyogo, and Todaiji temple in Nara, and it does not matter how many times I visit these places, every time I visit I am amazed.

The third reason why I never leave Japan is that I have a wife and 3 kids here. My wife is Japanese and my 3 kids are half Japanese, but they were born here.

This reason is more to do with the fact that i am lazy. I have thought about leaving Japan and going back to Australia (my home country), but that would require much effort. logistically it would be a nightmare. We have so many possessions and it would be a major headache to have to send them all.

This one is a real easy one. I actually really like my job and that really really helps. When you like something you often do not want to stop doing it. That is the case with me.

Reason number 6 is that if I were to leave, I would probably have to leave by myself. My wife does not speak English and she does not want to learn.

The 7th reason is that I really love the fact that Japan is so close to all of the other asian countries, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the likes. It is extremely cheap to jump on a plane and visit any one of those countries at short notice, too.

On the eighth day of Christmas (reason number 8) my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree. No, just kidding. The eighth reason why I choose not to leave Japan is that I really love the way of life here. I have a full time job, but I am often only required to work about 3 hours a day. The rest of the time I am FREE! It's nice...

I am still here because of the fact that they can't kick me out anymore. I am now a permanent resident of this country and that means that I never have to reapply for visa's and the likes. You know... all of those extra expenses and hassles.

Well, I don't have any hassles anymore. I can live here for as long as I want and I can come and go as I please. I can even go through the line that says NIHONJIN at the airport. I am not Japanese but my permanency affords me a few little perks.

The last couple of times I have been home to my home country, I have been looking forward to coming back here to Japan. This has been my home for the last 15 years and now whenever I leave my home I feel homesick for Japan.

It is nice to visit Australia whenever I possibly can, though.