Family thinking about moving to Japan but...

[miedan4ever]

Hello everyone Im a new member here. Im currently living in the US and married with a Japanese wife with 3 wonderful children. We are thinking about moving to Japan but our most concern is one of our child's education. He needs special ed. Does anyone know if Japan has anything like this? We have asked many friends and relatives about this but they unsure about this. Please help, thanks.

-dan

[GaijinPunch]

Does he have down syndrome? I recall working near a school that catered to such people, but can't for the life remember where it is. I'm sure in Tokyo, there's something for your needs. Any ward office should have information. In my experience, it's always better to call the ward office rather than try to find any details online. (The Tou-chou/Tokyo City Hall) might have an even broader scope of information.

Other cities would be similar, but I'm sure the smaller the population the smaller the options, but I can't imagine them not being there.

[miedan4ever]

He has learning disability as is slow learner. Cant catch up as everyone else in regular class. If we were to move to Japan itll be in OSAKA. My wife have asked all of her friends at work but they all said Japan doesnt suppourt or have programs for childrens of this type. It doesnt seem right to me I said to my wife. How can a powerful small country wouldnt have programs like this in Japan! Ill let her know about the ward officer idea. Maybe thatll help a lot. Thanks for your kind words.

[Mike Cash]

There are, of course, programs. Whether they measure up to your expectations or not is a different matter and may depend on the area and even the individual school.

How is his Japanese ability?

[Maciamo]

Then, how old is he ? The younger and the easier it will be to adapt, learning disability or not.

[Bucko]

Hmm, I'm surprised you heard that about Osaka, there seem to be lots of disabled people here in comparison to other Japanese cities I've been to. In one particular area of Osaka, around Tanimachi and Tennouji, I used to see many disabled people, so I always assumed that there was a special school in the area.

Cram schools would probably also cater for students of special needs - I teach a young down syndrome boy occasionally at my language school (one of the Big 4), my school specially caters for him.

[miedan4ever]

hes now 10 yr and only speaks english but born in Japan.

[Mandylion]

I'm not surprised your friends have not heard much about special needs education in Japan. It is not something people spend a lot of time talking about. Mental illness and special needs is still a topic lots of people don't want to call attention to.

Have your family/friends/wife/you contact the local board of education responsible for the schools in the area you will move to. I guarantee (for what that is worth) they will have the basic information (which schools have what programs). You can also probably get a contact name for the PTA for those schools with programs and if you are very nice, maybe they will put you in touch with parents who have kids in the program and you can get going from there. You might have to dig down through a lot of layers of bureaucracy, but it is there, I promise.

Almost any town/city in Japan has a city hall webpage which will include at least a phone number for your areas board of education. google.co.jp is your friend.

I worked in a very small village in Japan and we had three kids with special needs in the district. I cannot attest to how well their needs were met, but all got special attention (one-on-one tutoring at the least) and the child with downs syndrome had his own teacher, though he was still in classes with normal kids part of the day.

Good luck.

[Elizabeth]

hes now 10 yr and only speaks english but born in Japan.Do your other children speak only English as well ? I can't imagine there would be many placement possiblities for non-native special needs
kids....

[Harvey]

This school in Kobe (not so far from Osaka) has it's own philosophy and sticks to the concept that children will learn at their own pace, and that's okay, the teachers will help to navigate the kids on their way to reaching their goal.

http://www.l-net.com

The school is not supported by the Japanese government, that doesn't happen for alternative education schools in Japan really. I have visted this school, and it's cool. A lot of the kids there are bilingual because they were born overseas, their parents got a taste of european education, and wanted them to have something similar in Japan.

I'm not sure what there policy would be on taking in a kid who doesn't speak Japanese at all though... But it's worth a shot for sure especially if you think you'll be in Japan for more than a few years.

[miedan4ever]

Im surprised all of you have given us a great deal of information. I desperately want to move to Japan. I cant stand livin in the US anymore. I cant get a decent good job! House here in California are going up every day! I cant afford a house and there TOO many laws. Doesnt everyone breaks a law everyday? Anyways, I have a choice to make. Mexico or Japan. Our parents have recently sold their house and bought a brand new house in Mexico for their retirement. With their left over money theyll be giving us our share. This is why we thought Japan would be a good but risky idea. Besides my wife only relative (her twin sister) lives in Japan. Only thing that stops us is the school for my son he needs. My other 2 kids are doing fine. To be more specific to what my sons problem is very similar to ADD I think they call it. If ya have any more info about this please continue to post. Thanks in advance.

-dan

[GaijinPunch]

I think the main question is, do your children speak Japanese as well as English? Will they be okay in japaense schools? Will your child with a learning disability be okay in a Japanese school? There is likely something to fit his needs in Japan, but it will be in Japanese - not English. To go to American schools, you will need serious cash -- upwards of $20k a year for each student.

[miedan4ever]

I just find out with the site someone gave me that these are private school. Private School means MONEY which we dont have a lot of. Perhaps Japan isnt our plan then. We also found out that we need to work 25 yrs in order to receive our retirement support from the government in Japan. Is this true? We're not young here and not too old either lol but retiring in Japan isnt a good idea.

[Mike Cash]

What sort of employment are you looking at in Japan?

Yes, you need to contribute to the pension system for at least 25 years in order to receive retirement payments above the total amount you have paid into the system. In other words: if you work fewer than 25 years, the most you will get back is the amount you have contributed.

[DoctorP]

ADD is not that serious. It does hinder learning, but one can overcome this problem. Have you considered Home Schooling? Seems to me that would be your best choice if money is a problem.

I'm curious though...if you can't find a good job in the US, what makes you think it will be easier in Japan? Also you say California is expensive, Japan is just as expensive. Seems to me that maybe you should look into moving to a less expensive location. Maybe leave Cali and move to Oregon, or New Mexico or even Arizona. (the last two put you closer to family in Mexico). What type of skills do you have, what type of work are you interested in?

[budd]

"Seems to me that maybe you should look into moving to a less expensive location."

marrying a japanese woman equates having to move back to japan in some point an time?

marrying a woman of any country period (and some men) also?

whose idea was it to move back to japan in the first place? if it was the wife's, op is either gonna have to pack or get divorced?

the women in my mother's family all live within three hundred yards of my grandmother's home, including ours

[Mike Cash]

the women in my mother's family all live within three hundred yards of my grandmother's home, including ours

Then there are obviously no men in your mother's family.

[budd]

wahahahahaha!
a fine one to talk :)

[Mike Cash]

I live several thousand miles from my mother's family, so your attempt at a witty rejoinder falls flat.

[Silverpoint]

I'd certainly echo some of the later comments in this thread. JREF forum is littered with comments from people who want to move to Japan, without having really thought it through. Japan isn't some kind of Golden Egg, which will automatically allow you to leave behind any problems you might have back home. Realistically everything in Japan is harder for a new foreigner than it would be back in your own country. If you think you have problems now, then moving your entire family to a country where only one of you speaks the language is just going to magnify the issues.

Your son's education is almost certainly going to need private funding. Japan is not the country you want to move to if you're looking for special needs education in English.

Your job situation is unlikely to improve beyond English teaching. I wouldn't like to try and support a family of five on a teaching wage. Perhaps your wife could work, but I don't know her background. If she's relatively unskilled, she'll probably earn less than you.

[Furono]

Japan Special Ed is way behind the US and add the hardship of learning a new language to the disabilty and you will find things very difficult. Do your child a favor and stay there in the US at least until their education is finished.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

This is a Japanese site of the National Institute of Special Education.
Here, please consult.

http://www.nise.go.jp/en/index_e.html