Would you rather live in America or Japan?

[Lestat84]

I feel honored as a Japanese that you have picked one of our own to be your future wife.

I just became extra hetero.... I'm not limiting myself to Japan, but that's where I'd prefer the person to be from.

[suzyaraneta]

Hello to everyone,

I'm from the Philippines and I have a lot of friends working in Japan. They said they really have a good salary and its practical to live there. I also have friends who is working in U.S. and my neighbor also migrated to U.S. for good. Japan and America are both good place to live.
But for me as an asian, I
'll prefer Japan since it's not that far than USA. As long as I have my family, friends and a stable work either its in Japan nor USA, I would die to live there.


Suzy Araneta

[Nuala]

It's hilarious that I'm saying this, but the USA is more open-minded to my kind of people, so USA.

Sent from my HTC Hero S using Tapatalk 2

[jonway]

I think Japan is safer than the US.
Japan have earthquakes, tsunamis and flood. You dont feel safe only for that time of disaster.
But in US, where I think the crime rate is higher, you dont feel safe everytime. You dont know the person next to you is good or bad.
For me that is the real fear. No one like to live in fear.

I vote Japan.

[Half-n-Half]

I think Japan is safer than the US.
Japan have earthquakes, tsunamis and flood. You dont feel safe only for that time of disaster.
But in US, where I think the crime rate is higher, you dont feel safe everytime. You dont know the person next to you is good or bad.
For me that is the real fear. No one like to live in fear.

I vote Japan.

Crime rate is lower in Japan, but I think you're exaggerating a bit. I was born and raised in the US and I never lived in fear of those around me. Just about everyone is warm-hearted and polite. The only time I haven't felt safe in the US is if I was in a bad neighborhood in a large city like Chicago.

[Uncle Frank]

If you don't feel safe in the US , you can always get a permit to pack a gun(at least in most areas you can). A big 45 on you hip is like a night light and teddy bear at bed time , you feel all warm and safe ,LOL .

Uncle Frank

[ewww]

But in US, where I think the crime rate is higher, you dont feel safe everytime.

Definitely, that fear came with american movies. I know some asian people, who shows the same fear.
When I was in Japan, one guy told me that he could not live in country where criminals are selling drugs on
street, and killing innocent people. I asked him which country he did mean, and he looked on me in a way,
like I am an idiot, and he told that he is speaking about america. Any attempt to explain him that that is not a
true were unsuccessiful, and all his arguments were citations from american movies. Gosh, he told me about
movies I've never heard.

[jonway]

Perhaps I did exaggerated it a bit maybe about crime rate in US.
In fact, I went to California a few times. I think it is a beautiful and safe place.
Perhaps the impression was due to the recent shooting in Colorado.
The US is a big place, I think it is hard to generalize.

[Michael Paulson]

I do have a lot of reasons for wanting to leave the US. Ranging from the actions of the government, economic and even social issues. While Japan does have its fair share of issues, there issues seem very, very small in compared to the issues in the US. I can see yet another economic collapse or even another dirty war happening in the coming years. I also see the further increase of the wealth gap more or less killing off the middle class here. There is also the issue of the US government giving themselves a dangerous level of power through legislation such as the National Defense Resources Preparedness and NDAA of 2012. The unfortunate truth of the matter is far to many people here are misinformed or simply don't care about the real issues here. People would much rather debate issues like abortion and prayer in schools while ignoring the elephants in the room that are responsible for the current tailspin the US is in. I'm not dead set on moving to Japan just yet. But, I am getting everything in order so I can work in Japan for a year on a work visa.

[japanat]

I do have a lot of reasons for wanting to leave the US. Ranging from the actions of the government, economic and even social issues. While Japan does have its fair share of issues, there issues seem very, very small in compared to the issues in the US. I can see yet another economic collapse or even another dirty war happening in the coming years. I also see the further increase of the wealth gap more or less killing off the middle class here. There is also the issue of the US government giving themselves a dangerous level of power through legislation such as the National Defense Resources Preparedness and NDAA of 2012. The unfortunate truth of the matter is far to many people here are misinformed or simply don't care about the real issues here. People would much rather debate issues like abortion and prayer in schools while ignoring the elephants in the room that are responsible for the current tailspin the US is in. I'm not dead set on moving to Japan just yet. But, I am getting everything in order so I can work in Japan for a year on a work visa.

And so you want to come to Japan? Have you looked at economic news over the last 18 years? The economy is still stagnant, and has been for over a decade, following a long deflationary period. At least the US economy is now showing some growth.

The Japanese haven't shot themselves in the *** like the US did with the Patriot Act, NDRA and NDAA, that is true. But as a foreigner in Japan, you really don't have a better situation. The police have the right to ask for your ID at any time without probable cause, and can hold you for72 hours w/o access to a lawyer, with the option of renewing such detention up to 2 weeks.

If you want to come to Japan "for" something, please do. But make sure your glasses aren't rosy.

[gaijingig]

And so you want to come to Japan? Have you looked at economic news over the last 18 years? The economy is still stagnant, and has been for over a decade, following a long deflationary period. At least the US economy is now showing some growth.
The Japanese haven't shot themselves in the *** like the US did with the Patriot Act, NDRA and NDAA, that is true. But as a foreigner in Japan, you really don't have a better situation. The police have the right to ask for your ID at any time without probable cause, and can hold you for72 hours w/o access to a lawyer, with the option of renewing such detention up to 2 weeks.
If you want to come to Japan "for" something, please do. But make sure your glasses aren't rosy.

you are correct about the police and the ID thing... This happaned to me last night Guess a tall skinny Black guy walking in shibuya by himself was a threat- I did not mind.. one bit.. all this talk about "stop N frisk in NYC... all the times i'm there it's never happened. I come here (3rd TIME) and i get hit... the bad thing is that i forgot my PP at the Apt(first time too) they were cool and let me go... My problem is they drove by drunk Japanese guy assulting a vending machine.. Too bad the vending machine could not fight back



back on topic.. I love it here.... I would leave waay too many hobbies and friends behind... if i could bring them i'd live here in a "tokyo Minute"

[Speedy Japanese]

Japan hands down. Have you met the people?

[Mike Cash]

Japan hands down. Have you met the people?

I would like to welcome you to JREF on behalf of myself and the great many American members here.

[Speedy Japanese]

Referencing the amazing hospitality of the Japanese and not inferring anything negative about Americans, many of my family live in the states and I've traveled there several times. In japan people will ride a train for 40mins with you as a random stranger to show you which station to get off at. Not an experience I've had in the states on my travels there, but being negative we've had some great experiences there too, just not to the same extent.

[Mike Cash]

As an English speaker in an English-speaking country I would hardly expect a need to arise for anyone to take you by the hand and lead you through to your destination.

Then there is the question of whether that same degree of going-out-of-your-way kindness is extended to everyone, or merely to gaijins because of our novelty factor or whatever. I have watched Japanese people show complete and utter disregard for the plight of fellow Japanese people in serious need of help....like "call an ambulance!" kind of help....up to and including actually PHYSICALLY STEPPING OVER THEM as they lay on the sidewalk or just swerving around them in the street and blithely driving on.

All that aside, though, I knew what you meant. I was just gently tweaking you to point out that your way of phrasing it was just a tad bit impolitic. I do welcome you to our happy little corner of the internet.

[Speedy Japanese]

Understood, Thanks Mike.

[Abz Xhantini]

I hope I'm not intruding, but Japan would be my choice. I've always wanted to go to Nippon since I was a younger kid. I guess for me it's about the culture the opportunity I would have to practice my way of life freely, which is tai-chi, Shinto and Buddhism. I love japan, the culture, the buildings and the food - it's everything! I am planning on going there for my post graduate. It's just my preference

[Mike Cash]

There's a little tai-chi (called Taikyokuken 太極拳 in Japan) here and there, but not a whole lot. I have no idea what practicing Shintoism would mean or involve as a daily thing, and I doubt most Japanese do either. Buddhism in Japan is primarily based on esoteric and Pure Land sects/texts, and is mostly a thin sliver of Buddhism with a thick crust of borrowings from Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism....flipped over with most of the thin sliver of Buddhism scraped off. Its primary function for most people most of the time is entirely to do with funerary rites. There are, of course, exceptions.

[ClarkH]

Well, I've never been to Japan, but my perception is that there is a much narrower gap between classes, and that it's also extremely hierarchical, making it more difficult to penetrate higher strata, whether it be socially or professionally. So, as someone with extremely ambitious goals, I prefer the U.S. In the U.S., going from "zero to hero" is possible, with a lot of hard work and good decisions. There's no real ideal of conformity. Old friends may still despise you for becoming very successful, but there surely will be nobody that can stop you, at least not professionally. "Knowing one's place" is not really an idea that's accepted in the U.S. Am I wrong that Japan is quite the opposite in this respect?