Situation: I (US national) may be accepting a position at a Japanese company in Tokyo that would start in April. I would be moving with my wife (Japanese national) and cat. We're already all-set on the various requirements for importing the cat to Japan.
According to the company, the normal procedure would be that we'd live in company-provided housing for the first 6 weeks, during which they'd assist us with finding a place to live. However, I've already confirmed that the company housing does not allow cats. So we're trying to figure out options for finding housing on our own.
Our initial thinking was that my wife would travel back to Japan first and find an apartment to rent. But we know that has several challenges:
- Options for cat-friendly apartments are more limited
- Landlords that won't rent to foreigners
- My wife hasn't lived or worked in Japan for 10 years now. No salary to show. No juminhyo.
- Beyond the offer letter, my potential employer has already said they would be unable/unwilling to provide any record of what my salary would be to landlords until after I move to Japan and officially start working
- Likewise, the employer has said that they cannot provide any assistance searching for housing until after I officially start working
Potential resources in our favor:
- We have enough savings that "throw money at the problem" options are feasible (pay several months rent in advance, utilizing guarantor companies, accepting higher rent the first year & looking for a cheaper place for the second year, etc.)
- My wife has a Japanese bank account that we could move savings into if we need an easier way to show that to potential landlords
- My wife's family in Japan, although they don't live anywhere near Tokyo
So I'm looking for suggestions. Is the plan for my wife to find housing for us before I move, bring the cat, and start working feasible? Any suggestions for ways she could make that housing search easier and overcome the various challenges (especially the one where neither of us has a current in-Japan salary to show)? Better plans you'd recommend us considering? Thank you.
by TheSconesAlone
2 comments
The expats I know who arrive with pets usually stay somewhere like Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Azabu Tokyo for a few months while looking for a place. A renewable monthly rental will allow you time to find the most appropriate long term property, and to avoid the mad rush for housing that is typical of March, when most people start new jobs here.
It is expensive, but very few landlords will allow you to pay in advance and almost all require a guarantor company. Guarantor companies want to see proof of income and a Japanese emergency contact.
There are pet hotels, or you can pay an individual to take care of your cat until you can rent an apartment that allows them.
I sometimes see posts by pet owners looking for people to take care of their pets while they travel. This is probably better, because they won’t keep your pet in a cage. You would have to pay them something like 3~4k yen daily plus food expenses.
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