Thank you so much for making this video! You are an angel! I have been looking for a video like this forever. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Diabetes. I am on two autoimmune suppressant drugs. I just figured returning to Japan was totally out of the question because of being so sick. You give me hope.
+Christy Necaise Hey, thanks so much for your comment. I hope you're doing well. Yep, it's definitely not easy, but it is possible! All the best to you. (:
I'm not even close to move to Japan, but it is a dream of mine, when I finish my education in 4 years. I myself have Narcolepsy, but I'm so lucky to almost be a fullfunction person without trouble because of my medication. Funny thing is, that my immune system has improved after this medication. This video was really needed, because I haven't seen other j-vlogger talk about this, even though this is a VERY important topic. I'm going to share this. :)
Thanks so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it! I'm also really happy for you that your medication is working well. Hopefully they have exactly the same type in Japan for you! Thanks again, and best of luck for the future. (:
Thank you so much for sharing! Hospitals, doctors and anything medical related can be overwhelming in Japan so this is very helpful! I love your message of not letting anything stop you from traveling! Very inspirational ^_^
Thanks so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it! I'm so glad you think this is helpful, I know it was something I was really terrified about so hopefully I can help to ease other people's fear (though I'm sure there's always some nerves involved with tough situations like this!). Thanks again. (:
You are so articulate, and express yourself so well, that it is hard to fathom how you came to the conclusion that you are awkward in front of a camera. It just goes to show you that we often have beliefs about ourselves that are simply not true. I don't think you should make any more videos in which you do not speak. You are so likable when you speak that I think you could get a job speaking on tv. You have a special gift. It's simply wonderful the way you speak about Japan. It's heartwarming to hear that you love your life in Japan, and to see you so excited about all the things you look forward to doing in Japan.
That is really kind of you, thank you so much! I have a hard time listening to myself speak in recordings, because I feel like I word things badly or sound silly. I have started making more videos where I talk, but I do really love making videos of amazing places, like Yoshino or Koyasan, without messing it up with my nonsense talking over the top! I hope you understand, and thank you again for the kind words, it really boosts my confidence in making talking videos.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this video! I have JRA and am going to japan in May 2017. I thought I had no chance of finding a video of someone talking about the same illness as me but i just happened to click on your video and I'm so glad I did. It was so helpful
Just wanted to say a massive thank you to you for making this video. It's personal, instructive and well done. Like you, I was terrified about how I was going to treat my chronic illness in Japan. I have the added misfortune of having a rare disease which is unknown here( it's not known that well in Australia either...) but one that's invisible and causes chronic pain, immune suppression issues, fatigue and frequent injuries. The work till you drop style is therefore terrible for me, and I've often had to go to a lot of trouble to explain that I physically cannot get out of bed to go to a doctor to get a sick note if I'm really bad. I've found explaining my illness and finding translations for Japanese speakers ahead of time helpful in this respect, and i can often still claim sick days without a doctors note now that they understand. If you have a disability I recommend creating a written page explaining your management and expectations in a general way for your school beforehand :)
I also order a lot of my meds online...you can do that quite often actually. I've combed thru the laws and provided you don't import banned substances it's usually fine. Also I brought 6 months worth of medication with a Yakkon shomai (sp?) a special import form that I sent off and was returned by email within a week. Pretty easy to do and likely to get permission if not banned/illicit substances etc. If your meds don't go off too fast I recommend at least the 3 month tourist visa supply for if you decide to take a holiday instead.
Great info, thank you so much for adding all this! It's awesome that you can order meds online. Without insurance, mine cost around 80,000NZD per year, so that's not an option for me or others like me, and it's awesome to know that it can be done! Thank you again, and I hope you're having a fantastic day. (:
+Eevee Morgan wow! I actually think I know the medication - a monthly injection?- a friend of mine has that too. Quite miraculously changed her life. Insurance hooray! I reckon you might be able to claim more too... Worth looking into! One online site is asiapharm.net/ - useful even for things like paracetamol and aspirin given how expensive they are in Japan. Keep being awesome!
+Eevee Morgan Thank you for your hard-earned time, effort, and energy in regards to helping increase the world's database of information on this particular topic area. It is my desire (someday soon - hopefully) to live in Japan; and, to that end, I have done much research and learned *so* much; however, I find most webpages and videos lack covering simple every-day-life situations like: needing to get a 'hanko' (sp?) _OR_ not blowing your nose in public _OR_ how handicapped/mental/tattooed people (no disrespect meant with that particular line-up) are treated _OR_ the need to carry a bag with you since trash receptacles seem to be nonexistent in open public spaces _OR_ how 'smell' seems to be one of the aspects of meeting people _OR_ why little children playfully try to stick their fingers up your rear (kancho) (sp?) etc.. Anyways, thanks again & cheers.
Such a great video! Are you still living in Japan? My job takes me to Tokyo every few weeks. We will soon open our Japan branch, which I will head. Recruiting qualified people who happen to live with a disability is a priority and core value. Thanks for your tips. I also live with a disability and this video energized me.
Hi there, thanks so much for the kind words! I'm living in Japan for another nine days before moving back to NZ. :) All the best with your new branch and company!
Small clinics in Japan usually close at night but large hospitals stay open. It's usually not a problem because health insurance accepts all hospitals and hospitals accepts all insurance. Also, unlike some countries, ambulance is a part of social service and is free.
I didn't know that ambulances in other places aren't free! That's very useful. Also there's a relatively big hospital (the biggest in my area!) down the road from my house that closes at 9pm, so it is interesting to know that's not the same for everywhere. Thank you! :)
That's what I thought when I can to America. There are even places (outskirts of towns) the fire departments don't serve even in case of fire because the are is outside the "city limit."
Wow thanks for sharing your story. I am legally blind, which means that I am blind enough to be prevented from getting a driver's license. I am looking into coming into Japan as an ALT. While I have no specific medical needs, and my vision has been stable my entire life. I am actually highly functional, otherwise I would not uproot my life to another country. In fact one of the biggest things that attracts me to Japan is a reliable public transit system, because the system I use in the US is an afterthought because most Americans think of driving a car as independence. I just would not want the dispatch company to place me in a rural area where I have to go to 2 or 3 schools by driving. I actually want the urban placement. It would not have to be Tokyo. I would be fine in smaller city. My concern was more social, because unless you see me reading a computer screen with my eyes almost on the screen, or the same with books, or if I wanted to buy coffee from a vending machine I would have to look close to see how to order my coffee. I am not afraid of being asked, because I am pretty open about my disability. I have done my research about Japanese culture, and found that Japanese don't seem to confront an issue head on, but rather talk around it. I actually had a friend who showed me pictures of street curbs in Japan which are textured so a blind person with a cane can navigate. He told me it was perfect for blind people, and he never saw that in another country, but he did not see many Japanese blind people out. I was just wondering if there was a cultural shame about being disabled on having a disabled family member, and if they did not go out independently. When I was a kid, I was taught to speak up if I needed a special accommodation, like bigger computer monitor at work, or anything of that nature, and if a Japanese person with a special need was socially accepted for speaking up, or if they have to talk around that to, or if I would be given more leeway because I am a foreigner. Thank you.
+Rich Masters Hi there. Thanks so much for this comment/question. I really appreciate it. However, I hope you understand that this is a HUGE topic, and I can't answer it beyond my own experience, especially since I'm not Japanese. But I'll do my best to answer what I can. As far as I've been able to tell (for reference, I have four disabled students between my schools, and my Japanese friend's father is blind), the stigma here is no more or less than in other countries I've lived in (I'm using England and NZ as my reference point). I've yet to see anyone overtly looked down upon for having a disability or a disabled family member, but I'm sure it happens just like in other countries. For myself personally, my biggest problem (which is the same everywhere I've ever been) is people forgetting that Im disabled. Apart from that, people have been very kind and understanding in general. As for your friend not seeing many blind Japanese people, I think chances are most non-blind people would say we don't see many blind people in any country! I don't think it's because they stay inside, I just think it's a small percentage of the population. About the driving thing, all application processes I've heard of have the "no driver's license" option, and if you check that you won't be put out in the middle of nowhere. It doesn't mean you'll be in a big city, but it does mean you won't be placed somewhere you can't get anywhere from. So that shouldn't be a problem. For JET, you can also make specific placement requested based on medical needs. I do recommend not thinking too much about what type of placement you want. Whatever you're wanting, it won';t be like you're imagining. In my opinion it's best to get a placement and then find out all the wonderful things about it (also lucky it wouldn't "have to be" Tokyo, because those placements aren't common at all!). The lines on the pavement for blind people to use are absolutely everywhere here! I work in two relatively small towns, and they even go all the way up the mountain I walk up to get to one of my schools. It's amazing. I always wondered why Japan was so far ahead of the rest of the world in that sense. I hope that helps, and best of luck with your applications! (:
I'm a little late but I definitely have seen "blind" people in Japan using public transport! They had special mobile phones (huge display and huge keys) and looked at stuff from a very small distance. Haven't noticed that anyone stared at them. But then again... Japanese are really subtle about expressing what they think... Some other observations and knowledge sharing on this topic: 1. Every train has an own arrival and departure music playing. I thought that must be very handy for people with eye disabilities. 2. In Tokyo and Kyoto stations in trains are loudly announced in Japanese and English. ("next station: Ueno"). 3. Different street lights make different sounds. Again, I think that's good for orientation. You know which street light is on green for pedestrians and which is not :) 4. From what I know Japanese electric cars have to make a sound until they reach a speed of 50km/h. Electric vehicles usually don't make any noise (at least the engine doesn't. Starting from 50km/h you can hear the tires) thus being problematic for blind people especially because there are a lot of places in Japan where people share the road with cars (no pavement for pedestrian). To make things safer they added some acceleration sounds to electric cars. 5. Maybe somewhat of putting: from what I know "blind alphabets" (don't know the right word) differ from country to country. So to read those "dots/spots" you'll need to learn "Japanese" 😅 Hope I could help and you were able to understand what I mean despite English not being my mothertongue 😅. Don't even know why I payed attention to that stuff and why I know these things... I don't know even one blind person in real life :'D. But I definitely have seen them in my country (not talking about Japan here xD). Edit: Europe has a good working public transport system, too. Just in case you are curious.
It's been my dream to live in Japan. Unfortunately I have severe PTSD. I haven't gone to college because of it and well.... I fear I won't be able to move to Japan. I can't work in the states. Would you agree it's pretty much not going to happen?
First of all, I'm so sorry for your experience and hope you're doing okay. Second, the question! That's tough for me to answer, but I'll tell you my initial thoughts based on my experience. If you want to live in Japan as a foreigner and are unable to work, unfortunately thats probably not possible. I know it's incredibly difficult for foreigners to receive benefits from the Japanese government, and I don't know anyone who has managed to live here without studying or working. I'm sorry. But visiting is absolutely possible! It can also be a lot less expensive than you might think. If you're looking to experience daily life in Japan, there are things you can do to get closer to that on a vacation too - eg. staying in an AirBnB outside Tokyo will lower the cost a lot as well as seeing more of the "traditional" daily life here. So I agree that it's not feasible to move to Japan without working or studying here, but there are other options and I hope you can get here. :)
+Eevee Morgan I appreciate your help. I just have to find low stress jobs. not very easy in most of the US. I should have clarified. Is it possible to PM to speak further about the topic?
+Raven Conte No problem, glad I could help. Unfortunately I think that finding low stress jobs in Japan is even less likely than most other places - there are actually lots of articles and studies on this, if you're interested. Japanese work culture tends to be very intense and high stress from what I know. You can PM me if you like, though I really don't know how much more I can tell you! My own experience is with a physical disability that still allows me to work a relatively high pressure job, and unfortunately I can't speak much outside that area. ):
Hello Eevee nice video. My situation is a little bit similar to yours. I also have an autoimmune disease called "Ankylosing Spondylitis" or AS. I moved to Japan in 2014 and I am also from NZ too. A couple of things different for me when I came to Japan I knew I could only bring 30 days worth of meds but I brought about 8-9 months worth but had no problems getting through customs (maybe just luck?). But when it was time to get more I went to two different clinics but they would not perscribe me any medication, they said I need to see a specialist. Which I did and they were very helpful but expensive, and the medication was very very expensive too. I to also only had to pay 30% of the cost. But that 30% cost more than NZ before government subsidy for the exact same medication. I was very shocked by that! But in saying that I would say Japans healthcare system is better but NZ is far cheaper! Take care I know how your body feels.
+ripeporksta Thank you so much for your perspective! It's so helpful to hear other people's experiences. That's really interesting, and I'm sorry you had such a hard time getting your medication here - thank goodness you were able to bring extra from home! I agree that the healthcare system here is excellent, but that the costs (especially medication costs in my experience) are much, much higher. Thanks again, and all the best!
This is super helpful as someone who has autism and would be classified as “high functioning”, i hope to move or visit japan some day but i am worried about resources and such.
I have cerebral palsy, in my case it affects my legs so I walk with a limp. I’m going to Japan soon and I’m very nervous about how I’m going to be viewed
I completely understand being nervous - I know at times when my disability is visible I am always concerned about how people will react. In my experience, people in Japan tend to react much the same as anywhere else I've been - most people are polite about it, but you may get the occasional comment or look (I'm sure you know the type!). I certainly wouldn't expect you to have a worse experience in Japan than you have had anywhere else, so try not to worry too much about it and I hope you have an awesome time there! :)
for me everything I have issues medical wise is only a issue for my country. America is horrible, all I wanted was some paper work for my school and they couldn't give it to me and I had to do the test over again in another place. Japan's only issue with disabilities is mental disabilities and over the counter medication is none existent really.
I like your videos. This one was especially useful, though I did have a couple questions. First, do you know how mental disabilities are treated? I have PTSD and Major Depression. Also, do you know how military/combat veterans are treated? I'm not sure if you'll respond, since this is an older video, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Thanks!
Hi there! As I mentioned in the video, I can only really talk about my own experiences - I don't have any mental health issues, and I'm not a veteran, so I'm not the right person to ask. However, from what I have heard from some of my friends who live here, I think that Japan's treatment and recognition of mental health issues is pretty behind the West. I know a lot of my friends can't get the medications they were prescribed in their home countries for depression/anxiety, and that sucks. ): Japan is not allowed to have a military currently, and WWII is still a pretty touch subject here, so I'm not sure how well Western military veterans would be received, but I can't say for sure as I don't know any myself. Sorry I can't answer very well, and all the best!
Hi! You said that the health insurance in Japan covers 70% of the cost of medication. I've heard that for chronic illnesses/certain medications, they'll cover 100% of the costs. Is this true?
+BoomersGold Hi there, I'm afraid I don't know anything about that - I'd definitely have mentioned it in the video if I knew for sure! However, I have to assume it's true, because there are Japanese people with disabilities who are unable to work, and they must be able to get treatment somehow. There must be systems like this in place, I just don't know about them. (:
Hi, love this video. I'm going to watch more of your videos that's for sure. I'm just wondering if you know about how visual disabilities are perceived in Japan, as its something that I have.
Heya, so glad I could help! I'm sorry - by visual disability, do you mean a disability that is visible or a visual impairment? I'll try to answer both - sorry for being so slow! 1. I'm afraid as my disability is invisible, I can't speak much as to how visible disabilities are treated here. I would assume similarly to Western countries based on my experience with people who know about my disability, but I can't say for sure. Sorry. ): 2. I also don't have any visual impairments, however I do know that a lot of compensations are made for people with them in Japan. Train stations all have great (in my limited knowledge) audio and physical (barriers, raised markings on the ground, etc) ways to help people with visual impairments. So in terms of accessibility, I think it's quite good. In terms of how people are treated, I can't really speak on that, but again, if it's similar to my experience it's not too different from any Western country I've lived in or visited. Thanks so much, and I hope I answered your question!
I suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome as well as depression, I am on income assistance because I am unable to work full time, though I do work part time with the limit of earning an extra 500 dollars per month. My question is, is there any type of income assistance for those with learning disabilities in Japan? If not what are some easy jobs that I can get without knowing Japanese?
A really great video! I really enjoyed it and you seem like a really nice person! :) You and a lot of people in the comments all have physical disabilities, so I was wondering what it is like to live in Japan with a mental disability? Is it regarded differently compared to visible or invisible physical disabilities? I tried to search things up like you too about it, but it seems that there are only reports of severe cases where you need to have constant help at a mental facility. I was diagnosed when I was 5 with high-functioning (or "mild") Autism or Aspergers, but it was only ever a problem when I was younger (when I had problems speaking and putting together sentences: nowadays it's not a problem at all, of course :D ). I'm 15 at the moment and I hope to live in Japan for 10 months next year as an exchange student, which has been something I've been working towards for the last 2 years. However, recently I found out that my disability, (even though it doesn't effect my daily life other than small things like being extra sensitive to hearing, temperature, light, etc) was going to be a problem. I've gone throughout my life without telling anybody, because I don't want them to think of me any differently, but now they have informed me that it will be difficult to place me in a host family or school that will accept me. I really hope that everything will turn out fine, because it'll be disappointing if this was what held me back, but I guess after doing all the education forms, application and interview, all I can do is wait... So do you know if there is a stigma revolving mental conditions? Thanks once again for the great video! Subscribed! :)
+Pekai ペカイ Hi there, thank you for your comment! You're too kind. Hmm, as someone neurotypical, this isn't something I can accurately answer with any certainty. However, from what I know mental illnesses (talking more about things like bipolar disorder/depression/etc. than autism) are not widely accepted here, and that people have trouble finding help and support for them. So in terms of general stigma, I think it definitely exists, sadly. It's very much not talked about, so a lot of people don't know about or understand mental conditions In terms of autism specifically, I am not sure how yours affects you, and you've said that it doesn't affect your daily life at all (which is fantastic! Great work!), but I know from the autistic people I have known that picking up on social cues, and I think that could be a big issue here (where lots of things are unspoken). But I'm sure you're already dealing with that fine. I think, especially as a student, the expectations of you shouldn't be super high. I really hope that this was somewhat helpful - I want to stress that I do not have experience with anything other than my own disability. I hope someone else chimes in with a more personal answer! Thanks again, and best of luck!
Eevee Morgan Thank you for responding and sorry for not seeing your reply for so long! Yeah, I assumed that was how it was like, so I suppose all I can do is wait to see how things turn out. Things are looking a lot more positive from the responses I'm getting from the program, so all I can do is wait and hope for the best! If it doesn't turn out that I get accepted, then I can always go to Japan in university, since I think they are saying that the biggest problem is the fact that I am a minor with a condition. I'm going to stay positive! I can't let myself get too down about it, since it's out of my control, so what happens happens. Thank you once again for your wonderful videos and I wish you the best!
+Pekai ペカイ Please do stay positive! Remember that no one can tell you what your own experience will be like, and you make a lot of it yourself. All the best for your bright future! (:
Getting ready to apply for my working holiday visa (from Canada!) I hope they won't say no to me for having a mild intellectual disability and anxiety! But my doctor will be making a good note.. but so worried about getting rejected from a visa for having a disability! Did this worry you? And should I be worried ? ;;;
It didn't worry me honestly. I had successfully worked full time for a long time before I moved here, and I had letters from my employers and my specialist saying that my disability didn't stop me from working full time and doing a great job. As long as you can show that you're fit to work and have a history of successfully working, you should be okay! :)
I am in Toronto Canada. Moved here 10 years ago with a physical condition which has pushed me into a wheelchair. Do some writing on disability issues. My blogs are Enables.Me and Desispeaks.com. I think this video is useful.
Rosemerryn Tremayne: Thanks so much for this comment, it really means a lot to hear from someone in a similar situation. I'm sorry for what you have to go through, and whatever you're doing you're just as, if not more brave than I am! I can't reply to your comment directly for some reason, so I'm going to post this here instead. Something I feel like I should have stressed more in the video, and something I want to make very clear now is that I in no way judge anyone for what they do or do not/can or cannot do with their illness. We all have limitations, and I don't think that "trying harder" is a realistic option for everyone. I hope I can be proof that it's okay to try your best to get where you want, even if it seems daunting or scary, but I also want everyone to know that if you can't, that's okay too. You are worthy of respect and kindness and everything great in life regardless of the limitations put on your by your illness. Sorry that got so long. I have a lot of feelings about this! But once again, thank you so much for this comment, and I hope you're having a fantastic day.
Thank you very much. Can you add me on FB? Or I shoot a message. I have 3 disorders that I need to discuss with you. Because, I'm going and I had listened to you.
How can this video be helpful if it's all about you!? I'm sorry, being disabled has a very different meaning than NZ. An inability to physically function, daily chores, or working, due to incapacitation, is having a disability, not taking medication. Your disease is tolerated at work because you can do your job, but the moment you are not able, you'll be gone, guaranteed! Obviously, you've never seen handicapped Japanese and the way they are treated. Japanese don't believe in mental illness either and there's virtually no help for it, very limited. I broke my ankle one day, coming back from lunch, after 30 minutes of teaching, I told the school I needed to go to the doctor. On crutches, they made me come back to school to attend an evening meeting, I remember people chuckling at me. So be careful how many times you miss work.
You realise that the vast majority of information handed from one person to another in the form of advice, whether it be from parents to kids, educators to educatees, comes in the form of anecdotes and personal experiences? Of course a video can be helpful, even if it focusses in on her perspective. Interesting how this is now twice that you've lectured her on HER youtube account about talking about herself and her personal opinions/perspectives - maybe it's time to realise that that's the whole point of these blog-type videos? If you don't like her talking about herself, then why are you here?
She's returned to NZ, so it's a moot point and I don't have the time or inclination to discuss this with the village idiot, YOU! Go get a life....obviously you don't have one!
Hey, if anyone doesn't want to have a channel on youtube and experience some criticism they don't have to set up one. My God, you are so way off base, I'm awfully angry? LMAO And who appointed you moderator this thread? Sorry, not every thread on RUclips is going to be a garden party with everyone hugging each other. If you're so in love with her, why don't you ask her to marry you? Then you can defend her 24/7!
People like you never make your own videos, because it's far easier to sit back and just talk down to everyone else who does. Those who can't, criticise. That's the bare truth of the matter, and your escalation in tone definitely lets me know I'm hitting a bit too close to home. Clearly her videos aren't for you, you've stated that multiple times - so move on. Is that so hard? Peace.
Thank you so much for making this video! You are an angel! I have been looking for a video like this forever. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Diabetes. I am on two autoimmune suppressant drugs. I just figured returning to Japan was totally out of the question because of being so sick. You give me hope.
+Christy Necaise Hey, thanks so much for your comment. I hope you're doing well.
Yep, it's definitely not easy, but it is possible! All the best to you. (:
I'm not even close to move to Japan, but it is a dream of mine, when I finish my education in 4 years. I myself have Narcolepsy, but I'm so lucky to almost be a fullfunction person without trouble because of my medication. Funny thing is, that my immune system has improved after this medication. This video was really needed, because I haven't seen other j-vlogger talk about this, even though this is a VERY important topic. I'm going to share this. :)
Thanks so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it!
I'm also really happy for you that your medication is working well. Hopefully they have exactly the same type in Japan for you!
Thanks again, and best of luck for the future. (:
Thank you, and you too! :)
Thank you so much for sharing! Hospitals, doctors and anything medical related can be overwhelming in Japan so this is very helpful! I love your message of not letting anything stop you from traveling! Very inspirational ^_^
Thanks so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it!
I'm so glad you think this is helpful, I know it was something I was really terrified about so hopefully I can help to ease other people's fear (though I'm sure there's always some nerves involved with tough situations like this!).
Thanks again. (:
You are so articulate, and express yourself so well, that it is hard to fathom how you came to the conclusion that you are awkward in front of a camera. It just goes to show you that we often have beliefs about ourselves that are simply not true. I don't think you should make any more videos in which you do not speak. You are so likable when you speak that I think you could get a job speaking on tv. You have a special gift. It's simply wonderful the way you speak about Japan. It's heartwarming to hear that you love your life in Japan, and to see you so excited about all the things you look forward to doing in Japan.
That is really kind of you, thank you so much!
I have a hard time listening to myself speak in recordings, because I feel like I word things badly or sound silly. I have started making more videos where I talk, but I do really love making videos of amazing places, like Yoshino or Koyasan, without messing it up with my nonsense talking over the top! I hope you understand, and thank you again for the kind words, it really boosts my confidence in making talking videos.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this video! I have JRA and am going to japan in May 2017. I thought I had no chance of finding a video of someone talking about the same illness as me but i just happened to click on your video and I'm so glad I did. It was so helpful
Oh, that's such a coincidence! I'm so glad I could help you, and I hope you'll have a fantastic time.
Just wanted to say a massive thank you to you for making this video. It's personal, instructive and well done. Like you, I was terrified about how I was going to treat my chronic illness in Japan. I have the added misfortune of having a rare disease which is unknown here( it's not known that well in Australia either...) but one that's invisible and causes chronic pain, immune suppression issues, fatigue and frequent injuries. The work till you drop style is therefore terrible for me, and I've often had to go to a lot of trouble to explain that I physically cannot get out of bed to go to a doctor to get a sick note if I'm really bad. I've found explaining my illness and finding translations for Japanese speakers ahead of time helpful in this respect, and i can often still claim sick days without a doctors note now that they understand. If you have a disability I recommend creating a written page explaining your management and expectations in a general way for your school beforehand :)
I also order a lot of my meds online...you can do that quite often actually. I've combed thru the laws and provided you don't import banned substances it's usually fine. Also I brought 6 months worth of medication with a Yakkon shomai (sp?) a special import form that I sent off and was returned by email within a week. Pretty easy to do and likely to get permission if not banned/illicit substances etc. If your meds don't go off too fast I recommend at least the 3 month tourist visa supply for if you decide to take a holiday instead.
Great info, thank you so much for adding all this!
It's awesome that you can order meds online. Without insurance, mine cost around 80,000NZD per year, so that's not an option for me or others like me, and it's awesome to know that it can be done!
Thank you again, and I hope you're having a fantastic day. (:
+Eevee Morgan wow! I actually think I know the medication - a monthly injection?- a friend of mine has that too. Quite miraculously changed her life. Insurance hooray! I reckon you might be able to claim more too... Worth looking into! One online site is asiapharm.net/ - useful even for things like paracetamol and aspirin given how expensive they are in Japan. Keep being awesome!
+Eevee Morgan
Thank you for your hard-earned time, effort, and energy in regards to helping increase the world's database of information on this particular topic area. It is my desire (someday soon - hopefully) to live in Japan; and, to that end, I have done much research and learned *so* much; however, I find most webpages and videos lack covering simple every-day-life situations like: needing to get a 'hanko' (sp?) _OR_ not blowing your nose in public _OR_ how handicapped/mental/tattooed people (no disrespect meant with that particular line-up) are treated _OR_ the need to carry a bag with you since trash receptacles seem to be nonexistent in open public spaces _OR_ how 'smell' seems to be one of the aspects of meeting people _OR_ why little children playfully try to stick their fingers up your rear (kancho) (sp?) etc..
Anyways, thanks again & cheers.
Such a great video! Are you still living in Japan? My job takes me to Tokyo every few weeks. We will soon open our Japan branch, which I will head. Recruiting qualified people who happen to live with a disability is a priority and core value. Thanks for your tips. I also live with a disability and this video energized me.
Hi there, thanks so much for the kind words!
I'm living in Japan for another nine days before moving back to NZ. :)
All the best with your new branch and company!
do you also recruit people w/ autism?
Small clinics in Japan usually close at night but large hospitals stay open. It's usually not a problem because health insurance accepts all hospitals and hospitals accepts all insurance. Also, unlike some countries, ambulance is a part of social service and is free.
I didn't know that ambulances in other places aren't free! That's very useful.
Also there's a relatively big hospital (the biggest in my area!) down the road from my house that closes at 9pm, so it is interesting to know that's not the same for everywhere. Thank you! :)
That's what I thought when I can to America. There are even places (outskirts of towns) the fire departments don't serve even in case of fire because the are is outside the "city limit."
Wow thanks for sharing your story. I am legally blind, which means that I am blind enough to be prevented from getting a driver's license. I am looking into coming into Japan as an ALT. While I have no specific medical needs, and my vision has been stable my entire life. I am actually highly functional, otherwise I would not uproot my life to another country. In fact one of the biggest things that attracts me to Japan is a reliable public transit system, because the system I use in the US is an afterthought because most Americans think of driving a car as independence. I just would not want the dispatch company to place me in a rural area where I have to go to 2 or 3 schools by driving. I actually want the urban placement. It would not have to be Tokyo. I would be fine in smaller city. My concern was more social, because unless you see me reading a computer screen with my eyes almost on the screen, or the same with books, or if I wanted to buy coffee from a vending machine I would have to look close to see how to order my coffee. I am not afraid of being asked, because I am pretty open about my disability. I have done my research about Japanese culture, and found that Japanese don't seem to confront an issue head on, but rather talk around it. I actually had a friend who showed me pictures of street curbs in Japan which are textured so a blind person with a cane can navigate. He told me it was perfect for blind people, and he never saw that in another country, but he did not see many Japanese blind people out. I was just wondering if there was a cultural shame about being disabled on having a disabled family member, and if they did not go out independently. When I was a kid, I was taught to speak up if I needed a special accommodation, like bigger computer monitor at work, or anything of that nature, and if a Japanese person with a special need was socially accepted for speaking up, or if they have to talk around that to, or if I would be given more leeway because I am a foreigner. Thank you.
+Rich Masters Hi there. Thanks so much for this comment/question. I really appreciate it. However, I hope you understand that this is a HUGE topic, and I can't answer it beyond my own experience, especially since I'm not Japanese. But I'll do my best to answer what I can.
As far as I've been able to tell (for reference, I have four disabled students between my schools, and my Japanese friend's father is blind), the stigma here is no more or less than in other countries I've lived in (I'm using England and NZ as my reference point). I've yet to see anyone overtly looked down upon for having a disability or a disabled family member, but I'm sure it happens just like in other countries. For myself personally, my biggest problem (which is the same everywhere I've ever been) is people forgetting that Im disabled. Apart from that, people have been very kind and understanding in general.
As for your friend not seeing many blind Japanese people, I think chances are most non-blind people would say we don't see many blind people in any country! I don't think it's because they stay inside, I just think it's a small percentage of the population.
About the driving thing, all application processes I've heard of have the "no driver's license" option, and if you check that you won't be put out in the middle of nowhere. It doesn't mean you'll be in a big city, but it does mean you won't be placed somewhere you can't get anywhere from. So that shouldn't be a problem. For JET, you can also make specific placement requested based on medical needs. I do recommend not thinking too much about what type of placement you want. Whatever you're wanting, it won';t be like you're imagining. In my opinion it's best to get a placement and then find out all the wonderful things about it (also lucky it wouldn't "have to be" Tokyo, because those placements aren't common at all!).
The lines on the pavement for blind people to use are absolutely everywhere here! I work in two relatively small towns, and they even go all the way up the mountain I walk up to get to one of my schools. It's amazing. I always wondered why Japan was so far ahead of the rest of the world in that sense.
I hope that helps, and best of luck with your applications! (:
I'm a little late but I definitely have seen "blind" people in Japan using public transport! They had special mobile phones (huge display and huge keys) and looked at stuff from a very small distance. Haven't noticed that anyone stared at them. But then again... Japanese are really subtle about expressing what they think...
Some other observations and knowledge sharing on this topic:
1. Every train has an own arrival and departure music playing. I thought that must be very handy for people with eye disabilities.
2. In Tokyo and Kyoto stations in trains are loudly announced in Japanese and English. ("next station: Ueno").
3. Different street lights make different sounds. Again, I think that's good for orientation. You know which street light is on green for pedestrians and which is not :)
4. From what I know Japanese electric cars have to make a sound until they reach a speed of 50km/h. Electric vehicles usually don't make any noise (at least the engine doesn't. Starting from 50km/h you can hear the tires) thus being problematic for blind people especially because there are a lot of places in Japan where people share the road with cars (no pavement for pedestrian). To make things safer they added some acceleration sounds to electric cars.
5. Maybe somewhat of putting: from what I know "blind alphabets" (don't know the right word) differ from country to country. So to read those "dots/spots" you'll need to learn "Japanese" 😅
Hope I could help and you were able to understand what I mean despite English not being my mothertongue 😅.
Don't even know why I payed attention to that stuff and why I know these things... I don't know even one blind person in real life :'D. But I definitely have seen them in my country (not talking about Japan here xD).
Edit: Europe has a good working public transport system, too. Just in case you are curious.
Great video I was born with a heart defect but I am glad you still work hard with your illness! Great video luv lots!!
It's been my dream to live in Japan. Unfortunately I have severe PTSD. I haven't gone to college because of it and well.... I fear I won't be able to move to Japan. I can't work in the states. Would you agree it's pretty much not going to happen?
First of all, I'm so sorry for your experience and hope you're doing okay.
Second, the question! That's tough for me to answer, but I'll tell you my initial thoughts based on my experience. If you want to live in Japan as a foreigner and are unable to work, unfortunately thats probably not possible. I know it's incredibly difficult for foreigners to receive benefits from the Japanese government, and I don't know anyone who has managed to live here without studying or working. I'm sorry.
But visiting is absolutely possible! It can also be a lot less expensive than you might think. If you're looking to experience daily life in Japan, there are things you can do to get closer to that on a vacation too - eg. staying in an AirBnB outside Tokyo will lower the cost a lot as well as seeing more of the "traditional" daily life here.
So I agree that it's not feasible to move to Japan without working or studying here, but there are other options and I hope you can get here. :)
+Eevee Morgan I appreciate your help. I just have to find low stress jobs. not very easy in most of the US. I should have clarified. Is it possible to PM to speak further about the topic?
+Raven Conte No problem, glad I could help. Unfortunately I think that finding low stress jobs in Japan is even less likely than most other places - there are actually lots of articles and studies on this, if you're interested. Japanese work culture tends to be very intense and high stress from what I know.
You can PM me if you like, though I really don't know how much more I can tell you! My own experience is with a physical disability that still allows me to work a relatively high pressure job, and unfortunately I can't speak much outside that area. ):
+Eevee Morgan ah ok. fair enough. thanks again
Hello Eevee nice video. My situation is a little bit similar to yours. I also have an autoimmune disease called "Ankylosing Spondylitis" or AS. I moved to Japan in 2014 and I am also from NZ too. A couple of things different for me when I came to Japan I knew I could only bring 30 days worth of meds but I brought about 8-9 months worth but had no problems getting through customs (maybe just luck?). But when it was time to get more I went to two different clinics but they would not perscribe me any medication, they said I need to see a specialist. Which I did and they were very helpful but expensive, and the medication was very very expensive too. I to also only had to pay 30% of the cost. But that 30% cost more than NZ before government subsidy for the exact same medication. I was very shocked by that! But in saying that I would say Japans healthcare system is better but NZ is far cheaper! Take care I know how your body feels.
+ripeporksta Thank you so much for your perspective! It's so helpful to hear other people's experiences.
That's really interesting, and I'm sorry you had such a hard time getting your medication here - thank goodness you were able to bring extra from home!
I agree that the healthcare system here is excellent, but that the costs (especially medication costs in my experience) are much, much higher.
Thanks again, and all the best!
this means a lot to me!
So glad I could help! (:
This is super helpful as someone who has autism and would be classified as “high functioning”, i hope to move or visit japan some day but i am worried about resources and such.
I have cerebral palsy, in my case it affects my legs so I walk with a limp. I’m going to Japan soon and I’m very nervous about how I’m going to be viewed
I completely understand being nervous - I know at times when my disability is visible I am always concerned about how people will react. In my experience, people in Japan tend to react much the same as anywhere else I've been - most people are polite about it, but you may get the occasional comment or look (I'm sure you know the type!). I certainly wouldn't expect you to have a worse experience in Japan than you have had anywhere else, so try not to worry too much about it and I hope you have an awesome time there! :)
My friends love your videos too!
for me everything I have issues medical wise is only a issue for my country. America is horrible, all I wanted was some paper work for my school and they couldn't give it to me and I had to do the test over again in another place.
Japan's only issue with disabilities is mental disabilities and over the counter medication is none existent really.
I like your videos. This one was especially useful, though I did have a couple questions. First, do you know how mental disabilities are treated? I have PTSD and Major Depression. Also, do you know how military/combat veterans are treated? I'm not sure if you'll respond, since this is an older video, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Thanks!
Hi there! As I mentioned in the video, I can only really talk about my own experiences - I don't have any mental health issues, and I'm not a veteran, so I'm not the right person to ask. However, from what I have heard from some of my friends who live here, I think that Japan's treatment and recognition of mental health issues is pretty behind the West. I know a lot of my friends can't get the medications they were prescribed in their home countries for depression/anxiety, and that sucks. ):
Japan is not allowed to have a military currently, and WWII is still a pretty touch subject here, so I'm not sure how well Western military veterans would be received, but I can't say for sure as I don't know any myself.
Sorry I can't answer very well, and all the best!
Thanks for the quick reply. Don't worry about the answer; it's about on par with what I expected. Anyway, thanks for the videos. :)
No problem at all, happy to help. Sorry I didn't have more to say, and thank you for your support!
Hi!
You said that the health insurance in Japan covers 70% of the cost of medication. I've heard that for chronic illnesses/certain medications, they'll cover 100% of the costs. Is this true?
+BoomersGold Hi there, I'm afraid I don't know anything about that - I'd definitely have mentioned it in the video if I knew for sure!
However, I have to assume it's true, because there are Japanese people with disabilities who are unable to work, and they must be able to get treatment somehow. There must be systems like this in place, I just don't know about them. (:
I have a poliomyelitis and i hope i can get the chance of working in japan. Im presently working as a teacher here in the Philippines.
Hi, love this video. I'm going to watch more of your videos that's for sure. I'm just wondering if you know about how visual disabilities are perceived in Japan, as its something that I have.
Heya, so glad I could help!
I'm sorry - by visual disability, do you mean a disability that is visible or a visual impairment?
I'll try to answer both - sorry for being so slow!
1. I'm afraid as my disability is invisible, I can't speak much as to how visible disabilities are treated here. I would assume similarly to Western countries based on my experience with people who know about my disability, but I can't say for sure. Sorry. ):
2. I also don't have any visual impairments, however I do know that a lot of compensations are made for people with them in Japan. Train stations all have great (in my limited knowledge) audio and physical (barriers, raised markings on the ground, etc) ways to help people with visual impairments. So in terms of accessibility, I think it's quite good. In terms of how people are treated, I can't really speak on that, but again, if it's similar to my experience it's not too different from any Western country I've lived in or visited.
Thanks so much, and I hope I answered your question!
I suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome as well as depression, I am on income assistance because I am unable to work full time, though I do work part time with the limit of earning an extra 500 dollars per month. My question is, is there any type of income assistance for those with learning disabilities in Japan? If not what are some easy jobs that I can get without knowing Japanese?
A really great video! I really enjoyed it and you seem like a really nice person! :)
You and a lot of people in the comments all have physical disabilities, so I was wondering what it is like to live in Japan with a mental disability? Is it regarded differently compared to visible or invisible physical disabilities? I tried to search things up like you too about it, but it seems that there are only reports of severe cases where you need to have constant help at a mental facility. I was diagnosed when I was 5 with high-functioning (or "mild") Autism or Aspergers, but it was only ever a problem when I was younger (when I had problems speaking and putting together sentences: nowadays it's not a problem at all, of course :D ).
I'm 15 at the moment and I hope to live in Japan for 10 months next year as an exchange student, which has been something I've been working towards for the last 2 years. However, recently I found out that my disability, (even though it doesn't effect my daily life other than small things like being extra sensitive to hearing, temperature, light, etc) was going to be a problem. I've gone throughout my life without telling anybody, because I don't want them to think of me any differently, but now they have informed me that it will be difficult to place me in a host family or school that will accept me. I really hope that everything will turn out fine, because it'll be disappointing if this was what held me back, but I guess after doing all the education forms, application and interview, all I can do is wait... So do you know if there is a stigma revolving mental conditions? Thanks once again for the great video! Subscribed! :)
+Pekai ペカイ
Hi there, thank you for your comment! You're too kind.
Hmm, as someone neurotypical, this isn't something I can accurately answer with any certainty. However, from what I know mental illnesses (talking more about things like bipolar disorder/depression/etc. than autism) are not widely accepted here, and that people have trouble finding help and support for them.
So in terms of general stigma, I think it definitely exists, sadly. It's very much not talked about, so a lot of people don't know about or understand mental conditions
In terms of autism specifically, I am not sure how yours affects you, and you've said that it doesn't affect your daily life at all (which is fantastic! Great work!), but I know from the autistic people I have known that picking up on social cues, and I think that could be a big issue here (where lots of things are unspoken). But I'm sure you're already dealing with that fine.
I think, especially as a student, the expectations of you shouldn't be super high. I really hope that this was somewhat helpful - I want to stress that I do not have experience with anything other than my own disability. I hope someone else chimes in with a more personal answer!
Thanks again, and best of luck!
Eevee Morgan Thank you for responding and sorry for not seeing your reply for so long! Yeah, I assumed that was how it was like, so I suppose all I can do is wait to see how things turn out. Things are looking a lot more positive from the responses I'm getting from the program, so all I can do is wait and hope for the best! If it doesn't turn out that I get accepted, then I can always go to Japan in university, since I think they are saying that the biggest problem is the fact that I am a minor with a condition.
I'm going to stay positive! I can't let myself get too down about it, since it's out of my control, so what happens happens. Thank you once again for your wonderful videos and I wish you the best!
+Pekai ペカイ Please do stay positive! Remember that no one can tell you what your own experience will be like, and you make a lot of it yourself.
All the best for your bright future! (:
i am a disable people to in france, and to be a disabled people in france it is helle on earth
Great video. I have slightly high blood pressure (216/164) so if going to a gp will get my meds, that sounds great.
I hope that you'll have as easy experience as I've had! Best of luck. (:
I thought all the guys would try to come up tho
Getting ready to apply for my working holiday visa (from Canada!) I hope they won't say no to me for having a mild intellectual disability and anxiety! But my doctor will be making a good note.. but so worried about getting rejected from a visa for having a disability! Did this worry you? And should I be worried ? ;;;
It didn't worry me honestly. I had successfully worked full time for a long time before I moved here, and I had letters from my employers and my specialist saying that my disability didn't stop me from working full time and doing a great job.
As long as you can show that you're fit to work and have a history of successfully working, you should be okay! :)
Eevee Morgan ahhh thank you for saying that ;^; I have been working at a salon for 4 years now! I'll ask my boss for a note as well!
God bless you i have autism and mrdd i have a bowl blockage and the hospital wont treat me
arent you worried about fukushima?
I have a disablity it's learning disability or LD do you know of any cheap apartments plz and thax 😎 🙏
you are beautiful!
+Olga Ostashkov Thanks so much!
you have good hair
I am in Toronto Canada. Moved here 10 years ago with a physical condition which has pushed me into a wheelchair. Do some writing on disability issues. My blogs are Enables.Me and Desispeaks.com. I think this video is useful.
What is her accent?
Soph Gm New Zealand
@@jacob_hi More like American! Have you heard NZ?
Rosemerryn Tremayne: Thanks so much for this comment, it really means a lot to hear from someone in a similar situation. I'm sorry for what you have to go through, and whatever you're doing you're just as, if not more brave than I am! I can't reply to your comment directly for some reason, so I'm going to post this here instead.
Something I feel like I should have stressed more in the video, and something I want to make very clear now is that I in no way judge anyone for what they do or do not/can or cannot do with their illness. We all have limitations, and I don't think that "trying harder" is a realistic option for everyone. I hope I can be proof that it's okay to try your best to get where you want, even if it seems daunting or scary, but I also want everyone to know that if you can't, that's okay too. You are worthy of respect and kindness and everything great in life regardless of the limitations put on your by your illness.
Sorry that got so long. I have a lot of feelings about this!
But once again, thank you so much for this comment, and I hope you're having a fantastic day.
Rituximab ?
Close! Etanercept.
Thank you very much. Can you add me on FB? Or I shoot a message. I have 3 disorders that I need to discuss with you. Because, I'm going and I had listened to you.
Such substance in the face of chronic pain. This girl is hot.
Thanks so much!
I have a learning disability.
やっほー！
How can this video be helpful if it's all about you!? I'm sorry, being disabled has a very different meaning than NZ. An inability to physically function, daily chores, or working, due to incapacitation, is having a disability, not taking medication. Your disease is tolerated at work because you can do your job, but the moment you are not able, you'll be gone, guaranteed! Obviously, you've never seen handicapped Japanese and the way they are treated. Japanese don't believe in mental illness either and there's virtually no help for it, very limited. I broke my ankle one day, coming back from lunch, after 30 minutes of teaching, I told the school I needed to go to the doctor. On crutches, they made me come back to school to attend an evening meeting, I remember people chuckling at me. So be careful how many times you miss work.
You realise that the vast majority of information handed from one person to another in the form of advice, whether it be from parents to kids, educators to educatees, comes in the form of anecdotes and personal experiences? Of course a video can be helpful, even if it focusses in on her perspective. Interesting how this is now twice that you've lectured her on HER youtube account about talking about herself and her personal opinions/perspectives - maybe it's time to realise that that's the whole point of these blog-type videos? If you don't like her talking about herself, then why are you here?
She's returned to NZ, so it's a moot point and I don't have the time or inclination to discuss this with the village idiot, YOU! Go get a life....obviously you don't have one!
Yet here you are ;) You seem awfully angry that her videos aren't made the exact way you want them to be made. Make your own, maybe?
Hey, if anyone doesn't want to have a channel on youtube and experience some criticism they don't have to set up one. My God, you are so way off base, I'm awfully angry? LMAO And who appointed you moderator this thread? Sorry, not every thread on RUclips is going to be a garden party with everyone hugging each other. If you're so in love with her, why don't you ask her to marry you? Then you can defend her 24/7!
People like you never make your own videos, because it's far easier to sit back and just talk down to everyone else who does. Those who can't, criticise. That's the bare truth of the matter, and your escalation in tone definitely lets me know I'm hitting a bit too close to home. Clearly her videos aren't for you, you've stated that multiple times - so move on. Is that so hard? Peace.