When you are in trouble in Japan: How foreigners should look for someone to talk to

First, determine whether it is an emergency.

In cases where life or physical safety is involved, emergency response should be given priority over finding a regular consultation center. On the other hand, when it comes to issues such as contracts, housing, work, and lifestyle services, it is easier to resolve them if you sort out the situation and then contact the relevant company or specialized contact.

Record what happened in chronological order

When explaining a problem in a foreign language, it will be easier to understand if you summarize the ``when'', ``where'', ``with whom'', ``what happened'', and ``what you want to happen'' in short sentences rather than speaking long sentences straight away. If you have related documents such as contracts, receipts, emails, and photos, keep them so you can refer to them if necessary.

The person to consult varies depending on the problem.

There are some issues that you can first check with the service provider, such as the management company or real estate company for housing, the contract company for telecommunications, and the school office for schools. On the other hand, in fields that require professional qualifications or public judgment, such as law, taxation, and residence status, it is necessary to consult with appropriate experts and institutions.

Separating language problems from specialized problems

It will be easier to find the support you need by distinguishing between whether the problem is that you don't understand Japanese, or whether the content is too specialized to judge. There are some problems that cannot be resolved with simple translation, and there are also cases where you can handle the procedure yourself if you have an interpreter.

Use JCBO as your first point of contact

If you say, "I don't know which field the problem is in," or "Multiple problems are occurring at the same time," please let JCBO know the situation. The idea is that JCBO does not directly handle all specialized work, but rather organizes the content and connects it to partner companies and qualified experts as necessary.

Things to review after actually starting your life in Japan

Things that you didn't understand during the preparation stage will become clear to you once you actually live in Japan for a few days to a few weeks. Write down the time it takes to commute to work or school, ease of shopping, language problems, monthly expenses, etc., and check for any differences from your expectations. It is not necessary to continue with the method you initially decided on, but it is important to adjust communication contracts, travel routes, shopping locations, housing conditions, etc. to suit your lifestyle.

Organize important information in one place

In life in Japan, the number of contacts increases, such as address, contact information for work or school, housing management company, hospital, insurance, bank, telecommunications company, etc. Instead of saving it only on your smartphone, it's a good idea to make a list of the information you need and share it with your family if you have them. Make sure to save contracts, receipts, and important emails in a way that you can check them later.

Check the latest information on systems and professional judgments.

It is necessary to separate general information about daily life from professional judgments such as immigration status, law, taxation, and medical care. As systems and conditions are subject to change, please check the latest information from public institutions and contracting parties before proceeding with the procedure. For work that requires qualifications, it is important to consult with an administrative scrivener, lawyer, tax accountant, or other appropriately qualified professional.