Hey, so I have seen this topic around before on forumosa and other sites, but most posts I’ve seen are quite old or have to do with visting each country so I am asking here.
Basically, I’m currently in my mid 20s working as a data analyst in the US and am thinking of moving to either Taiwan or Japan (probably Taipei or Tokyo realistically) and was curious to hear perspectives from people that have lived in both/visited for long periods of time and which country they preferred.
I did an exchange in Japan and really liked it, but think it will be fairly difficult to get a visa whereas I qualify for Taiwan’s gold card program which is why Taiwan captured my attention.
For long term immigration/integration prospects, Taiwan is far more open than Japan. While in Asia, you are probably going to be seen as at least somewhat a foreigner forever, in Japan, since they strictly enforce single citizenship, you will have to contend with giving up or legally remaining a foreigner forever.
Taiwan…at least if you can convince the govt you are a high level professional, you may be able to get citizenship and keep your US.
I would suggest you pick the country that has a higher demand for foreigners in your professional field. I don’t know of any foreigners coming to Taiwan to work as data analysts.
Most foreigners here in low-demand fields usually end up being forced to become English teachers or English copy writers.
In terms of the general vibe and culture, Taiwan is a laid-back, tropical island. The people are generally outgoing and nice, especially to Westerners, dress quite casually, and have what I can only describe as a “Southern (US) charm”. The government is generally libertarian-leaning. Not a lot of laws here, at least not very strictly enforced. Most businesses are small. The population is more dense, homes are all connected, and people tend to get around on scooters.
Japan, by contrast, has more of a New England vibe. The people are reserved and aren’t exactly nice or charming, but are polite (and more well-dressed). They are also more uptight and detail-oriented. The government is definitely more noticeable. Rules, regulations, and procedures are generally enforced and followed strictly. Most businesses are medium-to-large corporations. The population is less dense, homes have yards, neighborhoods are quiet, and people have enough space to own cars. Although this point is probably less relevant if you’re only considering Taipei and Tokyo. Both are dense cities best traversed on public transit.
Haha yeah, I do see a lot more jobs in Japan for my line of work compared to Taiwan. Taiwan basically seems like you work in the semiconductor industry, remotely, or in the english teaching industry if you’re a foreigner. Remote job would be nice, but obviously extremely difficult to get a job that lets you work out of the country.
That’s the case in any big city, but I find that people in Taipei are more laid-back compared to people in large cities in other countries. They don’t even walk as fast as, say, Hongkongers or people in Tokyo.
You’re right, but I think this has more to do with politeness than laid-back vs. uptight.
This is a real pain point honestly. I’m a software engineer that doesn’t do hardware. For now, I’m lucky enough to contract for foreign companies. Eventually I’ll switch to a local job and I’m quite worried about it as I don’t have many options available.
I own an apartment in Taipei and a house in the country in Japan and divide my time between the two. I’m in Japan now. Taiwan is friendlier and much easier to make friends in than Japan. It’s easier to do business in Taiwan. Taxes excluding property taxes are higher in Japan. Housing in general is cheaper and better in Japan. Food is much better in Japan. The natural environment is much better in Japan. Weather is better. Air quality is excellent in most of Japan. Japan has a severe labor shortage so from what I hear it’s easier to get a good paying job in Japan. I wouldn’t know firsthand because I have my own business. It’s much harder to get and keep residency in Japan. I’ve never had anything but positive experience with the police in Japan but I hear the legal system can be draconian if you’re a foreigner who runs afoul of the law and its hostage justice system
I would think Japan would be better for your career.
Taipei would be more chill and lower cost of living. It’s affordable relative for a capital city of a country. It has the benefits of a major city but isn’t overwhelming. It’s also easy to live if you speak English. Foreigners live in Taipei for years without learning much Chinese without too much of a quality of life drop.
Tokyo will be expensive so make sure your salary matches. It’s huge as well and for some it’s quite overwhelming. Very difficult to get by with just English or without Japanese.
Japan is a weird place. You will need to assimilate into their culture way more to have a decent time. An example of what I mean is this. I went to a Japanese restaurant once and they showed me their tea offerings to smell. I picked the tea I wanted and they refused to give it to me because this other tea is the “correct” one to get with my meal.
I get they have a labor shortage but I don’t think I can take advantage of it because it’s extremely hard to get a work visa there . Also I read their work hours is much longer than Taiwan.
I was in the same situation, working remotely in Taiwan for a US company. Eventually I realized it wasn’t sustainable, so I started doing freelance work instead. Nobody cares if their contractor is in a foreign country.
In the field of software engineering, it would be easier to find better jobs in Japan than in Taiwan. It doesn’t means you can’t find jobs in Taiwan, but usually, the salary is low if you compare both countries. Also in Japan, I feel they are more open for foreigners to work in that field.
Take a look at Rakuten (Japan), an amazing company, the interview process is fantastic. If you can find remote work, then Taiwan can be cheaper to live in, at least rent and etc.
And Japan has some weird things like: When you go rent a place to live, usually you need to give from 1 to 2 months of rent as a gift to the landlord (A gesture of: “Thank you so much to trust me your house”) + the deposit and the rent. In Taiwan, usually, you just do the deposit which can be 1 or 2 months, but you can get this money back later on. So, if you go to Japan, keep in mind you will need a good amount of money for the first months, especially for renting.
Price for food, sometimes Japan can be cheaper and with better quality. Taxes and electricity can be tricky in Tokyo, it will depend on what area you will be living in, and you can pay more or less.
And nothing stops you to come to Taiwan or Japan first and if things don’t work out, switch from one to another country.
In my experience, if I was single and younger, I would try Japan first.
I’ve read Japan has something like a 99+% conviction rate. This doesn’t give me the warm fuzzy feeling that the justice system is actually serving justice.