Any tips?

If you're trying the big banks then forget it. I had the same problems. In the end I went with the French compnay, AXA. Softbank would also give me a loan but their interest rates were a bit steep.

Yakumo

 

These bitches are afraid of money.

 

It always seemed to me that Japan has almost no purpose anymore but itself. IMO it can go on forever, even after the earth has long dissapeared.

 

afraid of making money you mean!

 

That's why every time I get attached to a product it disappears.

 

You have it 100% backwards. It is the countryside that not only will die, but is well on it's way. If you live in the sticks and get sick you're fucked b/c your hospital is likely shut down b/c there's not enough residents around to support it:

Read me
Read Me too

They're bloggish, but they basically state what's going on.

Tokyo has what a friend of mine duped the nipple effect. On a line graph the demand and cost of living in Tokyo compared to surround areas is always higher, even in a crap economy. The prices drop, but not as drastically.

On the bright side neither of these is unique to Japan in the least. What is unique is their impotence to change policy. As the old boys club starts to die, the chances of nationwide reform grow. Younger people coming in = fresher ideas. Get more foreigners and make Tokyo the melting pot it tries VERY hard to be and they have a fighting chance. I think I might see this trend starting when my son starts University. I wouldn't write the place off totally until then.

If they continue to offer .000000000000001% interest loans, there will always be a demand.

 

Oh too fucking right! What is it with Japanese companies making new products all the fucking time. Why can't they just keep good sellers on the market? It really pisses me off when I find something I like and then it's gone forever to make way for some other bull shit.

Yakumo

 

I'm 100% certain that you most definitely do NOT fully realize what you're getting into.


Also, Gaijinpunch was right. The vast majority of foreigners really don't understand much about all the "quirks and bullshit" about Japanese society unless you do something like marry a Japanese national or something as significant (try to start your own business here or buy property?).

 

The bullshit that came with 2 of those prevented me from bothering with the 3rd.

 

buying a house wasn't half as bad as i expected actually. But having to go to a "ceremony signing" at the real estate agents for 3 hours was a drag.

I just spent the whole time trying to make the mother in law laugh, which was much easier than i thought. Probably not appropriate but still.

 

A mate of mine who works for a very, very well known huge ass fucking company got dissed for a loan several years ago. He got one recently, but told me what a kick in the balls it was before. I'm basically the scum of the Earth here in social terms: self-employed. You might as well make $10 a year if you make a million in the banks eyes.

 

yeah, the mother-in-law had the same problem - earned a shit ton of cash running her own business , lived in Japan for 30+ years but can she ASS get a loan. :/

it's total bollox

i am getting grief now because i dont have my permie - despite having already secured the loan and despite having paid every payment, the bank are now making all kinds of threats and demands. It's retarded. You'd THINK they'd like my not-missed-a-single-payment but noooooooo....

sigh, such is the wanky nature of japanese banks.

 

Is it that different in other countries? Only that in Japan (as a westerner) you get discrimination "at first sight" while somewhere else it might start when you open your month or they read your name.

 

Good luck if you look south american, asian, african or east-european in this country. :banghead: Discrimination is everywhere, sadly...

 

My tip would be... reconsider. Travel to Japan but don't intend on staying, see some other places, then make up your mind. That way, you won't be disappointed as much.
Personally, I found it to be hardly the mecca a lot of people think. Would love to be an expat for a year, maybe longer, but definitely not forever.

 

[I assume that] if you don't speak the language well this place would wear on your nerves fucking quickly. It's hard to dehumanize people you can communicate with (human thing, not Japanese) so even the eastern Europeans and Africans that can speak well and not act like complete jack asses are a few rungs up the gaijin later.