In Japan, employers have a duty to provide their employees with a yearly health check. They are required to pay for it, and they will let you do it during work hours. The contents of the examination are specified by law, and without a physician’s explicit authorization, nothing may be omitted. For many professions, including […]
Types Of Special Leave Special Leave includes all forms of leave other than your paid leave. The details will vary from contract to contract, so this list is just for reference. These types of leave may be paid or unpaid, and are usually only allowed to be taken for a specific time period. For example, […]
You may have heard or read (or even just experienced) it but almost every JET buys stuff from their predecessor. Your predecessor might give you a flat rate just to take it all, or they might give you a line-by-line price tag on each item, or they might realize that the used couch that they […]
Illegal Medicine This list is by no means definitive, and you should contact the Japanese Embassy or Consulate nearest you to make sure any medication you plan on bringing to Japan is legal. Some associations such as the Epileptic Association of America have listings of comparable medications legal for import to Japan. Antipsychotics cannot be […]
When people in Japan travel, they often bring back omiyage (お土産) to share with their coworkers, friends, and families. Omiyage is often translated as souvenirs, though the connotation is slightly different, as while a souvenir is usually a small present you get for one person (a keychain, those snowglobes), omiyage is usually something that you will share […]
Resident tax (住民税, juuminzei) is a tax charged by the local government every June that covers the period of the previous calendar year. Who Has To Pay The Resident Tax In general, you are excluded from paying in your first year (since you weren’t here for the whole year). However, from year two onward, depending […]
Hyogo AJET provides general information only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax laws, regulations, filing requirements, rates, and procedures in your home country may change, and individual circumstances vary. The author takes no responsibility for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the information provided. Always verify details with official sources or […]
Workplace Etiquette Arriving & Leaving Work: When entering the teacher’s room in the morning, say “Ohayo gozaimasu” (Good Morning). You should also be punctual. Punctuality is viewed as part of being an adult member of society in Japan, so take the extra five minutes. When leaving at the end of the day, say “Osaki ni […]
Your Home And School In The Summer Summers are hot and humid. If you don’t have air-conditioning, make sure that at least have a functioning fan, preferably one with a timer & remote control. If you don’t have air-conditioning, the best way to spend the summer is to open all of the windows and place […]
As one would expect, especially if this is your first time, things in Japan will be unfamiliar and different from what you may have been accustomed to at home. Don’t assume anything! Ask questions, heaps of them. Your supervisor and senpai JETs in your area are probably the best people to ask questions while you […]