How I moved to Japan
Moving from America to Japan can sound like a pipe dream to some, but here is how my husband and I were able to make it a reality.
We ended up in Okinawa, Japan. This island is considered the “Hawaii” of Japan due to it’s tropical climate, which is in contrast with the mainland experiencing all four seasons.
Some of you already know the most common reason Americans move to Okinawa.
No, I’m a service member.
No, my husband is not a service member.
No, I didn’t marry a Japanese citizen.
My husband (Scott) got a job working for the Marines. It is a civilian position that anyone could have applied for, and it came with SERIOUS perks.
**Disclaimer** Scott worked for the government in a similar position to the one he applied for, for about 4 years. So take that as you will.
The perks you ask?
- Reimbursement for moving expenses (including UberEats after your cookware has been taken by the moving company)- you just need receipts.
- Free transport of household goods up to 18,000lbs….everything we own combined doesn’t even weigh that much.
**The weight limit differs for civilian and active-duty members.** - A free plane ride to the base via Air Mobility Command or AMC flights (an airline specifically to transport those associated with the military).
- A stipend for housing and utilities depending on the size of your family (the rules for this are different for service members than civilians).
- Free rental furniture and dishware until your household goods arrive (this can sometimes take a few months).
- Free rental refrigerator, washer, and dryer for the duration of your stay.
- And, of course, access to base facilities for all dependents (Commissary, Exchange, US Post Office, Gyms, Libraries, etc).
There are more benefits, but hopefully, that’s enough to pique your interest.
The biggest perk of all, though, is living on this amazing island and experiencing life in Japan. The mainland is only a short plane ride away, and we intend to take full advantage!
Photo taken by me on a weekend trip to Takayama, Japan
If you go to usajobs.gov you can search for job openings by position title and location. If Japan isn’t your jam, you might want to look at the openings they have in Germany, Italy, Korea, Guam, and more.
Yes, you will probably have to take a small pay cut (Scott did), but the benefits make up for it. Not having to pay rent or utilities is amazing…
**Note** Make sure the position you are applying for has relocation and housing benefits. They’re called Living Quarters Allowance or LQA. Not all of them offer this, so if you’re unsure, then that’s something important to ask in the interview 🙂
This listing is for a Contract Specialist position, so you would need some experience in the field before applying for this specific position
There are some stipulations to accepting a job in Japan, though, due to the Status of Forces Agreement or SOFA. SOFA status is how we are authorized to reside in Japan without an official visa.
For example, as a dependent, I cannot work for a Japanese company if I want to get a job here because I am not here on a visa. I would have to work remotely for another country, find a job on base, or start my own small business, which is what a lot of the spouses do here.
Countless in-home hairdressers, lash technicians, masseuses, bakers, dog sitters, etc. can be found on Okinawa because of this.
Honestly, I don’t have to work if I don’t want to though. Scott’s income is enough for me to be able to stay unemployed because we don’t have the expense of rent and utilities anymore, and that is an absolute blessing.
Mostly because finding a job here has been a STRUGGLE.
And if you’re thinking, “I can’t do that. What about [insert furbaby’s name here]?”, I’m here to tell you it’s not a problem!
Our girl, Nora, living her best Oki life <3
Our 4-year-old, 50lb dog was able to make the trek to Okinawa and she is thriving here! It was pretty expensive and pet transport is not one of those “perks” that is paid for, but being a pet parent does not exclude you from being able to take one of these jobs.
A lot of prep work goes into getting your cat or dog here, though. I’m not gonna lie it was the worst, but people do it all the time. There are even full Facebook groups devoted to assisting with the import of your pet to Japan. I’ll link one of these groups here (Okinawa specific), and you can find more info on the Japanese government requirements to bring your pet to Japan here.
I’ll also plug the pet transport service we used=> Sarah’s Pet Paradise.
While using a pet transport service can be more expensive and requires a lot of research, the good ones are a real asset if you are overwhelmed with all the requirements (like I was). Sarah was able to take care of my dog’s Health Certificate and even boarded her for the night before her flight to make things easier on me. If you’re lucky, you can snag a pet spot on your AMC flight, but we were not so lucky and had to fly our dog commercially.
In summary, if you are thinking you want to live overseas for a couple of years (we’ll be here 2-5yrs), then check out working for the government. You could help support our troops stationed overseas while becoming one of those annoyingly worldly people you’re secretly jealous of on Instagram.
Thanks for reading and じゃあまた ! (See you later!)