I moved to Tokyo 2 years ago from overseas for my wife and 2 young kids under 5.
My wife is divorcing me. She wants to leave on good terms and she’s taking the kids with her back to Osaka but she says I can see them whenever and as much as I want (but practically speaking it can’t be that often if I’m in Tokyo and they’re in Osaka).
I have a decent job in Japan (earning about 20M all in) but she doesn’t currently have any job. She’s gonna stick around until she figures out how to get set up, but she’s 100% set on leaving.
[EDIT: Thank you for all the suggestions. Unfortunately I’m in a highly specialised field for which there is no market outside of Tokyo, and no adjacent market that I could hop in to, so short of starting my whole career again moving to Osaka is not viable for me]
I speak the language but not fluently (probably upper N2), and I have no friends or family in country so I’d struggle to raise even 1 kid on my own in Japan (aside from financially). She has loads of friends and family in Osaka who could help her, but she’s not going to be able to get to a situation where she’s financially independent.
I could take one or both kids and raise them in my home country, but I do not have any family back at home either, no close friends, andfinancially I’d probably be worse off because cost of living would be way higher so I don’t see any way where I’m able to offer a better life for my kids as a single dad than my wife would (she’s an amazing mother by any standard)
But all of this means I’ll have to start my life over again without any family, friends, or kids in Tokyo even though I have no reason to be in Tokyo other than my ex family. I have no reason to be in my home country either because I’d have no friends or family there either. It might be slightly easier because of the English environment and the fact I’m a citizen there but I feel like I’d be otherwise just as alone and isolated as I am here. I’m feeling pretty lost and meaningless now.
I don’t know what to do with my life. I loved being a father and my whole life revolved around them, but now they’re gonna be gone.
I’m 40 now, physically unable to have any more kids, I’m not good looking, I’m quite introverted and not charismatic at all so it’s not even like I can just take a break snap out of it and move on. I don’t have anything to move on to.
[EDIT: I think I misunderstood the work visa renewal process. Getting PR would be preferable but it sounds like renewing the work visa shouldn’t be an issue as long as I remain employed]
Just feeling totally defeated and in ruins
by MaxRand180