I have a passport but no post-sec education

[sonya_w]

Hey all,

I've been perusing the forums for a while now (ok and having some laughs at the "Laborer" thread). Anyways, I'm going to Tokyo (Suginami) on July 5th. I'm staying until August 20th - so not very long.

I have a Japanese passport, but I've only just graduated high school. I'm willing to work for little or no money, as long as I'm doing something while I'm there!

A few pieces of info that are pretty important are: I don't speak Japanese well, although I understand it fairly fluently (my mother is Japanese - thus the passport), I am 17, I speak English and French fluently and I have had previous experience working at movie theatres, daycare centres, etc.

So, with all these pieces of information - do I have a chance at getting some sort of employment? And can someone help me out as to where I should apply and so on? I've heard I could perhaps volunteer at a Jukku or something. I've been to a few sites - but for most of the offers you actually have to be in Tokyo at the moment.

Soo thanks for any help you all could offer!

Sonya

EDITed to fix a typo and to say that if anyone thinks this could get a better response in a different forum - be sure to point it out to me! =)

[SteadyRollingMan]

As you are only coming for a few weeks, it really would be difficult finding any sort of employment, why not just enjoy your time here. Suginami is a nice area in Tokyo and surely you must have some friends there. However, if you really want to do something, you could check around the local neighbourhood.

[Glenski]

A Japanese passport? That means you are Japanese (probably dual nationality). So a visa would probably not be necessary.

However, at your age and language level, and definitely because of the shortness of your stay, your chances of finding work are practically zero.

Come and enjoy your vacation.

[sonya_w]

Sigh, all right.

It is a very short time. I will give my neighborhood a look, though.

Thanks for your input anyways!

[Morning Star]

sonya w.

If you want to make a little bit of spending cash you can stop by and give my apartment a good spring cleaning. I also need my dry cleaning taken care of and my futons/sheets changed. And my receipts organized. Also looking to get a prep table in my kitchen, so I want you to shop around for something nice and sturdy.

Anyway, I'll make a checklist, give you directions and you can come out at your convenience.

Regards

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

sonya w.

If you want to make a little bit of spending cash you can stop by and give my apartment a good spring cleaning. I also need my dry cleaning taken care of and my futons/sheets changed. And my receipts organized. Also looking to get a prep table in my kitchen, so I want you to shop around for something nice and sturdy.

Anyway, I'll make a checklist, give you directions and you can come out at your convenience.

Regards

Don't trust this guy he's an evil nasty one.

[Kaizen]

A Japanese passport? That means you are Japanese (probably dual nationality). So a visa would probably not be necessary.

If I recall correctly, Japan doesn't allow for dual-citizenship. Though yeah, if you have a Japanese passport, entering shouldn't be a problem.

[paulh]

If I recall correctly, Japan doesn't allow for dual-citizenship. Though yeah, if you have a Japanese passport, entering shouldn't be a problem.

The OP has just finished high school and below the age of 20 can have 2 nationalities. After that he has to choose. If he is a Us citizen its quite possible the Us allows dual nationality. If one or both parents are Japanese then kids can get it as well.

[trip_hop]

You do not recall correctly.

Dual citizenship is permitted until 22, and may also be possible afterwards; there are some unique circumstances described under under sections 11-15-18 of the Nationality Act if you care to read it.

[Kaizen]

You do not recall correctly.

Dual citizenship is permitted until 22, and may also be possible afterwards; there are some unique circumstances described under under sections 11-15-18 of the Nationality Act if you care to read it.

Possible afterwards?
"People who have acquired Japanese nationality through naturalization, or by filing a declaration of acquisition of Japanese nationality, but who did not forfeit their former foreign nationality, must also choose which nationality they wish to hold. "
Taken from http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7118b.html

Can you give me a link to that 11-15-18 section? I wasn't aware of the below-22 thing, but I checked out the whole nationality thing after reading Arudou's naturalization essay a long time ago.

leme guess u are white guy who loves japan? this is just my sterotyping to u dont mind it.

Wrong, I'm not white...

[paulh]

u have a japanese passport = japanese nationlity.

you are just like any other japanese 17 year old looking for a job in japan. but u really have to learn japanese.

Perhaps you can tell me what a 17 year kid who cant speak the language can do in Japan, and then we'll both know.

[paulh]

uuuuh man did u read my " but u have to learn japanese" comment? i telled her to learn japanese then she can find work as . she can work in mcdonalds in japan? or any store like that? do some labor? finding work in japan is easy if u have japanese passport, its just a matter of a crappyjob.

Yes he/she has a passport. that is no guarantee that an employer will hire them if they can not speak Japanese. With 10 million high school kids here who speak Japanese I dont know why they'd hire a 'foreigner'.

Crappy jobs are probably all thats available to them with no work skills.

[paulh]

A few pieces of info that are pretty important are: I don't speak Japanese well, although I understand it fairly fluently (my mother is Japanese - thus the passport), I am 17, I speak English and French fluently and I have had previous experience working at movie theatres, daycare centres, etc.)

The kid is a "half" actually as only mother is Japanese. not 100% ethnic Japanese. Has a japanese passport but may as well be a gaijin with Japanese blood.

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

The kid is a "half" actually as only mother is Japanese. not 100% ethnic Japanese. Has a japanese passport but may as well be a gaijin with Japanese blood.

Jesus Paul , You've lost the plot.Say if she was born and raised in Japan she would be more Japanese than gaijin.My kids were born here and are treated no differently than any other Japanese kid at school.

[paulh]

Jesus Paul , You've lost the plot.Say if she was born and raised in Japan she would be more Japanese than gaijin.My kids were born here and are treated no differently than any other Japanese kid at school.

Say if she wasn't. Girl with Japanese mommy brought up in the US and speaks a little Japanese and native English.

My kids were born here too and japanese is their native language.

PS How long do you think it takes a teenager to become fluent in Japanese?

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

PS How long do you think it takes a teenager to become fluent in Japanese?

In her case since she's been exposed to Japanese all her life and says that she understands it quite fluently I'd say around a couple of years.

[kurogane]

The kid is a "half" actually as only mother is Japanese. not 100% ethnic Japanese. Has a japanese passport but may as well be a gaijin with Japanese blood.

That is an ugly thing to write.

Any holder of a Japanese passport is Japanese. That's why they hold the passport. Don't go MacTojo on us here, paullie.

She's a 17 year old kid who wants to visit her Other Heritage. Let her have some fun.

I did it when I was that age. Boy, what a wake up call that was.

[scipio]

She's a 17 year old kid who wants to visit her Other Heritage. Let her have some fun.

I did it when I was that age. Boy, what a wake up call that was.

How was Chechnya???

[kurogane]

How was Chechnya???

You owe me a feckin screen clean, Skippy.

Damn, haven't been made to laugh by you in a while.

Feels good.



Man, you're in good shape these days.

[kurogane]

are u not getting it? "gaijin with japaneseblood" thats just a messed up thing to say.


japanesepassport= japanese citezenship

I made the same point above.

Now go away.

[kurogane]

dont ever ever type to me unless i let u .

Could you come by later?

I need some mildly dirty gonch licked clean.

[paulh]

are u not getting it? "gaijin with japaneseblood" thats just a messed up thing to say.


japanesepassport= japanese citezenship

America is full of Nikkeis and sansei's who call themselves Japanese even though they have a US passport. Some also have dual nationality.

How 'Japanese' are Nikkei, and how American/western are people claiming to be Japanese?

[Morning Star]

America is full of Nikkeis and sansei's who call themselves Japanese even though they have a US passport. Some also have dual nationality.

How 'Japanese' are Nikkei, and how American/western are people claiming to be Japanese?

Who gives a ____?

My apartment got considerably dirtier after an impromptu party last night. I think I'll have to do the dishes before you come out here, sonya. In addition to the other stuff I need you to change the filter on my fan heater and store it for the winter... come to think of it, I need you to store all my winter clothes and bring out all my summer clothes. Clean the filter on the air conditioner, too.

[sandro]

Who gives a ____?

My apartment got considerably dirtier after an impromptu party last night. I think I'll have to do the dishes before you come out here, sonya. In addition to the other stuff I need you to change the filter on my fan heater and store it for the winter... come to think of it, I need you to store all my winter clothes and bring out all my summer clothes. Clean the filter on the air conditioner, too.

why did'nt you tell me?
i could have done it for free.

[Morning Star]

why did'nt you tell me?
i could have done it for free.

You still can, sandy.
Come over and clean my apartment any time you want.

[paulh]

are u not getting it? "gaijin with japaneseblood" thats just a messed up thing to say.


japanesepassport= japanese citezenship

The kid is a "half" actually as only mother is Japanese. not 100% ethnic Japanese. Has a japanese passport but may as well be a gaijin with Japanese blood.

That's pretty much the way it is. Beyond my meagre Japanese and what my mother has taught me, I am all gaijin.

I think you owe me an apology, smart arse.



As for html use [ ] instead of < >

[kurogane]

if she did speak japanese then would she be considerd japanese? that girls mom is very harsh to call her duaghter a all gaijin.

It must be harsher to be a native speaker and an illiterate.

I bet you if Sonya's mother met you she would just call you a ぶす外人。