Not for leaving Japan, but, for end of life care and shuffling off this mortal coil lol
Late 30sF American married to Japanese late 30sM who employs me at his sole proprietor business. No kids. We rent our place. On a spouse visa.
We are starting to think of retirement and end of life care for me mostly. Husband worries because we don't have a big nest egg (profit left over gets put back in the business) and what with no kids nor no owned property, he thinks if he passes first, I should/would "naturally" move back to the U.S. and get elder care there.
But I don't see that happening. I have nothing there, no family to rely on (have siblings but we are not very close, by time I'm elderly they will also be, perhaps no one left except nieces and nephews who will be busy with their own lives and I barely know them), nothing. I'm pretty sure especially when elderly traveling back to the U.S. and starting over by myself from zero would be impossible. I'd likely be in my 80s lol be serious.
So I'd have to get care in Japan. Would I need PR to do this (I haven't gotten PR yet because I'm so so terrified of anything officialdom/paperwork). What happens to our remains if we're not Japanese citizens and have no living next of kin in Japan? (I just wouldn't want anyone to try and find my relatives in the U.S. and repatriate remains). I'm sure in 40-50 years things will be quite different and hopefully will bite the bullet and have PR by then, but has anyone gone through putting an elderly foreign parent into a nursing home here? and how did this work. What visa were they on and does it cost a lot?
The thing is, if he does pass first and I'm living alone, I will have to apply by myself to an elder care facility when Im past being able to care for myself, and have no idea how to go about that. Or the timing. How would one be sure to have faculties enough to make that decision at the right time? Who would do things like close out my rental and any accounts etc after I pass? I really don't want to be one of those poor elderly who die alone in their house with all sorts of loose ends. I would want to plan things like financials and elder care so I'm as dignified and as little a burden on society as possible. I imagine I'd work with some kind of lawyer or designate a legal representative… hopefully I will get the timing right and be able to do all that before losing my mind lol.
Anyone else thinking or experiencing these things in Japan who can shed light on the process? TIA
by chiono_graphis