If you can only speak English, there are chances that you will be bothered about your ability to cope with living in Japan. Your worry will be likely linked to the belief that you cannot speak the major language in Japan (Japanese).
The truth is that you can live comfortably in Japanese if you can only speak English. However, there are lots of factors you need to know about living in Japan without understanding the Japanese language.
Why it is possible to live in Japan if you can only speak English
- English plays a key role in Japanese
Foremost, the English language plays a key role in communication in the Japanese language. This is because it is the basis for romaji, which is a form of Romanization of the Japanese language. Unlike the three most popular writing systems, romaji ensures Japanese words are written in a way that is easy for people that understand western languages to comprehend. This romaji is found in different places around the country to write things in ways that foreigners can understand easily.
- Many Japanese people speak English
Another reason that will make it possible for you to live in Japan with only English is that lots of people speak English in Japan. According to some surveys, about 30 percent of all Japanese people living in Japan speak the English language at varying levels. In other words, some speak English fluently while others can communicate a bit in the language.
This shows that, if necessary, you will likely find someone who can communicate with you in English. It is worthwhile to realize that the percent may even be higher if you are visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, and other big cities in the country. Lots of people in these big cities understand English enough to help you with directions and other basic things when necessary. As a result of this, you can live comfortably in Japan if you speak only the English language.
- Japan is English-friendly
If you only speak German, French, Spanish, or other popular western languages, you may suffer a bit in Japan. But English is quite different as Japan is English-friendly. This is because the Japanese government and many private organizations seem to have provisions to take care of the needs of English speakers than others.
For example, many trains and subways have English written on different signboards and other things. Also, bilingual maps are found almost everywhere in the country. You can easily find English translations of any information that you need at train stations, tourist attractions, hotels, and so on. Even Japanese with a good understanding of English are sometimes prioritized for employment at hotels, train stations, and other places where it may be necessary for them to communicate with foreigners.
Although many restaurants don’t have menus written in English, they have picture menus. Such picture menus make it easier for you to select the specific meals that you want to get even if you don’t know their names.
- Authorities are trying to make the country more comfortable for foreigners
Whether you speak English or not, you can rest assured that the Japanese government and many business owners are concerned about you. These authorities are taking action to make sure that the country is conducive for foreigners. And this is why you can see romaji and English translations in different places around Japan.
Challenges you may deal with if you can only speak English
If you can only speak English, you can definitely live in the country. But this doesn’t necessarily exempt you from some challenges that foreigners deal with in the country. Most of these challenges are related to the lack of understanding of the Japanese language. They include:
- It may be difficult to get a well-paying job
If you intend to live and work in Japan, you may have a hard time getting a well-paying job. Most jobs have some particular Japanese language requirements; hence, they will be out of your reach. Nonetheless, you can work as an English language teacher as many Japanese are keen to improve their understanding of English. But being an English teacher doesn’t pay much in Japan.
Having said this, you may still be able to find high-paying jobs in some rare cases.
- Many Japanese don’t like speaking English
As said earlier, a good percentage of Japanese people understand English. Unfortunately, only some of them are usually willing to speak English at any given opportunity. Generally, there are lots of differences between Japanese and English. Hence, many Japanese struggles with understanding the grammar, phonemes, etc. of the English language. So, it can sometimes be discouraging for them to speak English.
Therefore, even if these people are willing to speak a few English words to help you when you need assistance, they may not want to do more than that. With this, you may not be able to build a social circle with Japanese people.
- You may not be able to assimilate yourself into the culture
How can you assimilate yourself into the culture of a nation if you don’t understand her major language? It will be difficult to understand and enjoy the Japanese people’s ways of life o if you only speak English.
Speaking Japanese can make things better for you
The pieces of information above have highlighted the fact that you can live in Japan if you only speak English. However, you have also seen a few of the challenges you may have to deal with. Therefore, speaking Japanese can make living in Japan better and more enjoyable for you. That is, you should try to learn the Japanese language if you want to get the most out of living in Japan.
To speak Japanese, get the right resources, join classes, and practice regularly. Also, you should not shy away from speaking Japanese to native speakers. Although they may need to correct you as you speak Japanese, you will only get better in the language with time.
