u/EggplantAdmirable999

I arrived in Japan during the pandemic, and I have loved it here ever since. I came for a PhD, graduated a couple of years ago, and started working in a Japanese company last year. The environment is really nice, everything is perfect, no overtime, flexible hours, and I can work from home some days.

The thing is: for the last few years, I was indecisive about whether to stay here in Japan long-term or move to Europe (I am not European but I have facilities to move there). I used to say that I was like 60% wishing to stay, 40% leaving. And even if the economy was not going well, I was thinking: "Not everything is about money; I like it here, why move? I am feeling very good."

But since the beginning of this year (2026), I hear more and more voices promoting "Japanese first"—like, what privileges do average Japanese people think we foreigners have over them?

I hear that they don't want more foreigners here because they "don't respect the culture." I still cannot believe that Japanese people cannot realize that most of those foreigners disturbing and destroying the peace are tourists, not people who live here and aim to integrate into Japanese society. Also, I see Japanese people in interviews saying things like: "Yeah, I agree foreigners should pay more for their visas, because the yen is weak so they have higher salaries, so the price now is like in other countries like England." How can these people not see that people who apply for these visas actually live in Japan, so they receive a Japanese salary? I still cannot believe Japanese people cannot see the full picture.

I am pretty sure I am "the type of foreigner the Japanese want to come to Japan." I have the Japanese level to function here, I meet the new salary requirements to apply, and I have a degree from a top Japanese university. But I am so tired and overwhelmed with all of this that I just cannot stop thinking: "Does the Japanese government want nobody to come and want to make it difficult for everyone? OK then, I am leaving." Even though I have everything I need to stay, my mindset has shifted to 90% leaving and 10% staying.

I love this country with all my heart, and I will always be thankful for all the experiences I have had here. But I also started to think: the country is struggling, Japan is unique, but it is not the only beautiful country in the world. While I was ready to make the "sacrifice" to ignore the economic issues because I love it here, I don't want to be here if the government does everything it can to push people out instead of helping the country or attracting people who could actually help.

Has anyone passed through this kind of thought process recently? I am curious to read your thoughts.

Hello,

A large quake just happened in Kumamoto. A 7 on the scale. We experienced a 4 here in Oita. Anybody else experience anything?

Edit: Stay safe during the aftershocks. Another 5 reported in Kumamoto.

GPT这种东西屁用没有，就你们论坛傻鸟太自以为是 .我有做黑灰的****经历.我****问过GPT如何洗****钱.如何去做隔断一些列的黑灰操作技****术的东西.一大堆真****实的东西.他都根本就不知道..答非所****问.要么就是回的是很老旧的那种形式.根本不是****现在最新犯罪分子小圈子里面流行的东西.AI低能的不行.你****们都看不起阿姨.阿姨有真****东西.阿姨能****预测未来.你****这个鸡巴东西能预测个几把.只能照猫画虎根本不灵活.而且我做黑****产我听阿姨说话就知道 这个人说的东西大部分是真的。另外也是准的.而且我****记得我前最早开始听阿姨.我一听****这个人.至少在我一身打交道以来.这个人说话非常诚实.我跟其他人****说话或者听他说话从来没有这种感觉.要么就是****认知底下.比如1+1=3**，但是他真心不行**.觉得3*就是答案，诚实也没用.最后我都觉得阿姨不像中国人*.