Going to Japan Late this Year!!! Calling all jap Residents...

[urbanoperations]

removie please!!

[Rezz]

Maaaaate, Osaka is a very cool place... theres something like 4 or 5 SAU/PF members in this area alone!

Here goes...

PARKING:

If you want to buy a car and drive it in Japan, you NEED to have a parking space first. You have to find a space within 2km of your residence and enter into a contract for at least 6 months, preferrably 1 year. This *can* be negotiated upon (as in have the space for only a few months) if you can get a space AT YOUR BUILDING OF RESIDENCE. If you get a space in a public parking lot (like me - it's about a 1min walk from my building) you generally are stuck with whatever the real estate company contract guidelines are, as in minimum 6 month contract.

After you've got your space, you can then submit the details to the local police station to get a rego sticker. This is the easy part, it should take a few days to get it. The trouble is, you need to have already selected a car, as the papers for the rego sticker require you to have the dimentions of the vehicle etc so they can work out how much registration will be (obviously a Kei car will be cheaper). The people who are selling the car have the rego/parking space papers, and they'll hand em over when the deal is complete.

If I were you, I'd try and find a parking space first, enter into a contract, then get the car, that way you'll save heaps of time. Just remember that if you get a space in a public parking lot, you'll need your Passport and Australian drivers license.

OSAKA:

Yes, white person friendly (!), and I can't say that most of the population can speak English, although most of the young people getting about could probably get by with speaking very basic English. Just remember these guys are naturally shy, so even though some Japanese can speak really good English, they'll swear to you black and blue that they can't...

How long are you going to stay here?

[urbanoperations]

i dont know how long i should stay there, maybe a month? or 2 just have to negotiate funds and see how everything goes, maybe when i go over there apply for a working visa so i can work over there for a small time....