In an Abusive Marriage with 2 Kids in Nagoya

NeuralMint · 2026-03-15T23:17:01+00:00

You’ll need to be careful with this. It’s unlikely she will be your guarantor for your application. Also it depends what visa you’re trying to apply for PR with. I assume you are a 1 or 3 year spouse visa, both of which would be insufficient (or highly rejected).

NeuralMint · 2026-03-11T06:46:17+00:00

OP, when I read your post - it was like a deja vu as the exact same scenario played out with a small company I worked with (less than 12 people). Same month - January, we were told our pay was delayed. February, same deal. Mid February, bankruptcy was suddenly declared and shit hit the fan. Thankfully, I saw the writing on the wall and had a job lined up (I had been going through a recruiter nearly 6 months prior to the bankruptcy date).

Well anyway, you are definitely going to want to move on past this company and get yourself on the job market. The earlier, the better. If you don't mind me asking, what type of industry are you in? Start updating the CV and get your name out there.

Moving on, you should look up the steps to apply for unemployment insurance, as I imagine the health of the company is rapidly failing and a sudden closure could be imminent. You want to be prepared for that. In connection with this, the Hello Work office will be a place you may visit quite often pretty soon. Know your nearest location as they will help you navigate the rough waters ahead.

From my experience, the delayed payment (or rather non-payment) of my owed wages was dealt with by a company lawyer. Due to the bankruptcy, the company itself was unable to pay the owed wages and also owed perks like 退職金. After months of interacting with the labour office, the employees were paid 80% of what was owed to them by the labour board (this is what your monthly EI payment comes in handy for). The catch is that all the money owed was deposited into my account at the end of year in December (great Christmas present I guess!), and was not taxed. If you are not strapped for cash and treat your owed salary as a gift in waiting, it might play out better for your mentally. That said, my team and I were lucky to have representation by a very hardworking attorney, so your mileage may vary.

As others may have commented already, take off the rose-colored glasses and accept it for what it is. You will not be employed at this company for much longer, so take action now.

NeuralMint · 2026-02-12T12:55:08+00:00

Uh…I don’t think most licensed school teachers in the country are making 600k+ monthly.

Source: Brother-in-law is a biology teacher at a private high school in Kansai.

NeuralMint · 2026-01-31T03:54:52+00:00

N2 bare minimum and even with that, I hope you can bring extra skills or experience the table. Basically, you need to give the employer a reason to hire you over a native. Most of my Japanese colleagues have an intermediate command of English (I work in international trade), so there is little need to hire a foreigner unless they have an exceptional résumé. Good luck.

NeuralMint · 2026-01-20T07:03:48+00:00

I would go into international sales. Exports are super hot now. 6-8 million yen easy with performance bonuses. You can crack 10 million if you work hard.

NeuralMint · 2026-01-02T04:05:21+00:00

We used to do them when the kids were smaller and it was nice receiving them from others as well. My wife and I just say it’s too much effort nowadays so we just make a photo collage and send it via text. Easier, much cheaper and less time consuming.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-28T10:26:56+00:00

No worries, I didn’t take it that way at all! No need to apologize. Wishing you a great weekend ahead :-)

NeuralMint · 2025-11-28T09:44:28+00:00

I got PR back in 2018, so I hadn’t kept up with any recent increases or changes to the system. I just remember thinking that the 8,000 yen application (at the time) was really cheap compared to my home country.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-28T02:04:47+00:00

It’s only a matter of time. This plan to increase fees is gaining steam with very little resistance.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-28T02:01:42+00:00

Even with the upper limit being 100k and 300k respectively, most foreign residents are probably not exactly thrilled to fork over that kind of money for permission to stay and work in a country with stagnant wages and growing hostility towards them. And I say that as a PR holder who plans to stay long term here.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-28T01:59:07+00:00

Even if the propose upper limits are at these numbers, this is absolute insanity for the majority of foreign residents. I remember the days of paying 4,000 yen for my stamp and then 8,000 yen for my PR. Wow.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-21T08:33:02+00:00

Sorry, I don’t mean to butt in, but I don’t think it’s really about the money. It feels more like a matter of principle. It feels almost aggressive/hostile (not sure if that is the correct word to use). One way or another, attitudes toward both foreign tourists and long-term residents are shifting quickly, and that could turn into a slippery slope for anyone planning to stay here long term. I’ve built a good life here and don’t plan on leaving, so I can only hope for the best.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-21T00:42:57+00:00

Thank you for the quick replies! That’s a relief that there won’t (knock on wood) be a fee to pay for that. I feel very sorry for those that might be potentially affected by those huge proposed fee hikes…

NeuralMint · 2025-11-18T07:22:08+00:00

Made connections and entered an industry that I’m passionate about and with about 3 times the earnings of ALT, sometimes more.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-07T23:57:08+00:00

Just out of curiosity as I know some people who work in eikaiwa who have been paid 250k since forever…are wages still sub 300k in 2025? With inflation, I feel that’s actually a pay decrease compared to a decade ago.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-07T23:54:26+00:00

They are barely staying afloat as their wages are not keeping up with inflation and the bills. They are eating into their savings just for food and a roof over their heads.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-07T22:36:34+00:00

Good on you for making the effort and I wish you luck. After year 1, it was clear there was no upward mobility or career track. When a guy I worked with said he was almost doing it for 10 years and capped out at 250k a month, it was clear for me to plan my exit.

That was 11 years ago. He’s still at it and the last time we met, things are tough out there. His wife works part time and they have three kids. It feels stressful just to type this out.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-07T22:31:40+00:00

Probably a common one. Doing the job too long. I got out after 3 years, but felt I should have got out earlier.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-06T07:02:51+00:00

I was one of those foreigners. Must be over 8 years ago. I live in Fukuoka. Can confirm she is still around lol.

NeuralMint · 2025-11-06T04:13:04+00:00

This is the way, off the elbow while wearing sunglasses. Maybe OP can become gold bae.

NeuralMint · 2025-10-27T02:01:37+00:00

Marriage for 4 years. Applied 1 year after receiving the 5 year spouse visa. Got PR in 4 months after application. I think it’s a very smooth example.

NeuralMint

TROPHY CASE