Can Americans Live in Okinawa? Living Legally in Okinawa | O'Sullivan Counseling (2023)

FAQs

Can a US citizen live in Okinawa? ›

Conclusion. It's completely possible for Americans to live in Okinawa, but it's important to know that Okinawa is not U.S. territory.

In fact, many tourists from mainland Japan come to Okinawa just to get a taste of American culture. Though Okinawa has had a rocky history with the U.S., Americans who travel or live here, are generally treated with respect from locals.

The U.S. population in Okinawa approaches 80,000. Nearly 30,000 are active-duty military people from all four branches of the armed forces.

The Amami Islands were returned to Japanese control in 1953. The remaining Ryukyu Islands were returned to Japan on June 17, 1971. America kept numerous U.S. military bases on the islands. There are 32 United States military bases on Okinawa Island by the U.S.-Japan alliance since 1951.

Can an American move to Japan? Yes. You can move to Japan from the US. You'll need to apply for the relevant visa for your situation, at the Japanese Embassy or Consulate² which is closest to your home.

Okinawa has the Far East's largest US base and more than 50,000 foreign military and civilian residents as well. There are many private houses for foreigners including those for U.S. military officials near the bases.

The average cost of living in Okinawa is $1157, which is close to the world's average cost of living, ranked 4134th out of 9294 in our global list and 23rd out of 907 in Japan. The median after-tax salary is $2728, which is enough to cover living expenses for 2.4 months.

Sunabe, Chatan

Sunabe is a great little neighborhood along the seawall, which is about 1.4 miles in length. Many Americans live in this neighborhood, because it's proximity to Kadena Air Base and Camp Foster and because it's right on the water. Sunabe is a great place to surf, snorkel, dive, and fish.

Do Okinawans consider themselves Japanese? ›

First of all, Okinawa is a part of Japan. So what you call “people from Japan” include Okinawan people. Okinawans identify themselves as Japanese and speak Japanese.

Okinawa is a great place to live and an awesome learning experience. You'll learn a lot about the Japanese culture and how they live, what they eat and you'll also learn about their language.

The Japanese government also agreed to pay the United States government $320,000,000 over the next five years. The goals of the agreement for the United States were to transfer sovereignty, ensure that the United States could help a democratic government, and ensure that Japan would not be able to endanger the peace.

During the Pacific War, Okinawa was the site of the only land battle in Japan that involved civilians. After the war, Okinawa was placed under the administration of the United States. In 1972, however, Okinawa was returned to Japanese administration. Okinawa remains under Japanese administration today.

Fort Bragg's estimated area is 163,000 acres, which is 58,000 acres larger than the second biggest military base in the United States—Fort Campbell. To help you visualize.

The process of moving to Japan is easy as long as you are prepared. In general, expats can move most household goods into the country without a problem. It is a good idea to have an itemized list in both English and Japanese.

Bottom Line. Japan is a stunning destination and highly sought after by Americans who want to retire abroad. It is very difficult to gain residency in Japan, but if you do, it can be a great place to retire. The healthcare system is one of the best in the world.

What are the conditions for naturalization? The general conditions for naturalization are as follows (Article 5 of the Japanese Nationality Act). The person must have been domiciled in Japan for five years or more consecutively and must have had a valid status of residence throughout the prescribed period of time.

In Japan, unlike other countries, there are no restrictions for foreigners based on whether or not they have permanent resident status, Japanese nationality, or based on their visa type. This means that foreigners are allowed to own both land and buildings in Japan as real estate properties.

How can I live in Japan without a degree? ›

Specified Skills Visa

There are two ways to get this visa, with one being to pass an exam that measures Japanese language skills and industry-specific skills related to the area the applicant wants to work. The other way is to complete a three-year technical intern training program in Japan.

The most frequently occurring crime in the nation has continued to be theft, making up more than 70 percent of the recorded cases.

There are now 31 U.S. military installations on the island prefecture of Okinawa, which accounts for 70 percent of all U.S. military bases in Japan.

According to a provisional National Police Agency summary of 2021 crime statistics in Japan, the number of reported crimes decreased by 7.5% year on year to 568,148, setting a new postwar record for the seventh consecutive year. Criminal offenses peaked in 2002 at 2.85 million and have decreased steadily ever since.

live and numbeo.com), here's the average rent in Okinawa as of November, 2020: 1 bedroom in city center: $606. 1 bedroom outside city center: $457. 3 bedroom in city center: $1,650.

Situated in the East China Sea, Okinawa prefecture is a chain of islands located between Kyushu of Japan and Taiwan. Though a part of Japan, it's not geographically linked to any parts of the rest of Japan — making it the only prefecture that's not connected on the Japan Rail.

Okinawa Island is the largest in the Ryukyus, being about 70 miles (112 km) long and 7 miles (11 km) wide and having an area of 463 square miles (1,199 square km).

Summary about cost of living in Kyoto, Japan: Family of four estimated monthly costs are 2,930$ (432,685¥) without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 805$ (118,968¥) without rent. Kyoto is 45.45% less expensive than New York (without rent).

the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, in the N Pacific, SW of Japan: taken by U.S. forces April–June 1945 in the last major amphibious campaign of World War II. 544 sq. mi.

Can you live off base in Japan? ›

DoD Civilian: All DoD unaccompanied civilian will reside off-base. DoD accompanied personnel has option to reside off base.

We have a “Live Where You Work Policy”. If the Occupancy Rate is 98% for both your Primary & Secondary Work Locations, you will be authorized to reside offbase.

Okinawa is one of the best duty stations you can get in the Marines. Many people fear/avoid it; but then never want to leave. One only has to at the huge ex-pat population of former Marines who marry out here and never return (and it's pretty significant). I've served two tours there, and it's my favorite.

One thing is for sure: Hawaii is easier to travel for travelers who speak English and feel familiar to its culture. On the other hand, it is recommended to visit Okinawa if you want to experience undiscovered things.

The native Okinawans, densely populating the Ryukyus, are a mixture of Ainu, Malayan, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese stock. Okinawa itself has a population of approximately 450,000, mostly ethnic Okinawans and concentrated in the southern half of the island. For many centuries the islands were under Chinese domination.

Do people in Okinawa speak English? Japanese is the main language spoken in Okinawa, but some people can speak English, too. Most large hotels and tourist facilities have English-speaking staff or can provide assistance in English using multilingual information or communication tools.

If you're planning on only seeing the main island, Okinawa is good for 5 days or so for a comfortable pace of driving around and seeing the various sights all over the island. Bear in mind that while Okinawa island itself isn't huge, driving north to south takes up to 3 hours.

Although not required, we recommend military members purchase their own tourist passport before arriving in Okinawa in case you would like to travel while here. However, all family members must have a valid passport.

Summary. Cost of living in Okinawa, Japan is $1,210 and it seems affordable according to the average monthly salary which is $2,032. For more living costs insights, check the list of prices for Restaurants, Markets, Transportation, Utilities, and 40 more categories.

What does it cost to live in Okinawa? ›

Okinawa is a great place to live and an awesome learning experience. You'll learn a lot about the Japanese culture and how they live, what they eat and you'll also learn about their language.

Sunabe, Chatan

Sunabe is a great little neighborhood along the seawall, which is about 1.4 miles in length. Many Americans live in this neighborhood, because it's proximity to Kadena Air Base and Camp Foster and because it's right on the water. Sunabe is a great place to surf, snorkel, dive, and fish.

live and numbeo.com), here's the average rent in Okinawa as of November, 2020: 1 bedroom in city center: $606. 1 bedroom outside city center: $457. 3 bedroom in city center: $1,650.

Situated in the East China Sea, Okinawa prefecture is a chain of islands located between Kyushu of Japan and Taiwan. Though a part of Japan, it's not geographically linked to any parts of the rest of Japan — making it the only prefecture that's not connected on the Japan Rail.

Okinawa Island is the largest in the Ryukyus, being about 70 miles (112 km) long and 7 miles (11 km) wide and having an area of 463 square miles (1,199 square km).

Summary about cost of living in Kyoto, Japan: Family of four estimated monthly costs are 2,930$ (432,685¥) without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 805$ (118,968¥) without rent. Kyoto is 45.45% less expensive than New York (without rent).

First of all, Okinawa is a part of Japan. So what you call “people from Japan” include Okinawan people. Okinawans identify themselves as Japanese and speak Japanese.

Is Okinawa still a blue zone? ›

Okinawa is one of the blue zones regions and has some of the highest life expectancy rates in the world.

Researchers attribute this risk reduction to eating fewer calories, consuming lots of fruits and vegetables, eating healthy fats, eating plenty of fiber and staying physically active. Their bones are healthy. Okinawans also have less risk of hip fractures than Americans.

DoD Civilian: All DoD unaccompanied civilian will reside off-base. DoD accompanied personnel has option to reside off base.

We have a “Live Where You Work Policy”. If the Occupancy Rate is 98% for both your Primary & Secondary Work Locations, you will be authorized to reside offbase.

Okinawa is one of the best duty stations you can get in the Marines. Many people fear/avoid it; but then never want to leave. One only has to at the huge ex-pat population of former Marines who marry out here and never return (and it's pretty significant). I've served two tours there, and it's my favorite.