Hello, this is my first post here at expats. . .
I have always had a strong interest in Japanese culture but since I moved to England at age 15, this interest has been put on hold to come to grips with English culture.
Now, nearly 10 years later, I am tiring of England. I am about to start a degree in music here, and upon finishing, I want to relocate either back to America or ideally to Japan, somewhere, preferably in or around the Tokyo area.
I will be a very qualified musician when I finish this course, with a degree and multiple diplomas in music/music practice. In the meantime, starting to learn a language like Japanese can be done - I've got 3 years (which I hear is the minimum) - but I was curious of the realities of life in Japan?
How has the credit crunch affected the Japanese economy and how difficult is it to secure a job, considering my music qualifications and lack of Japanese? How much is a) a single bedroom apartment in Tokyo, and b) a single apartment in a suburb just outside Tokyo?
What are Japanese politics like? Left-wing? Right-wing?
What's the quality of life like? Crime-rates? Taxes? Is living in Tokyo as expensive/more expensive than living in London?
Any information would be greatly appreciated!!
Cheers!