Watch: Their Honest Advice After 20 Years in Japan: Don't Move Back Too Fast

3:40 Life in Japan. >> Amazing. >> Amazing. We would say amazing. >> It's absolutely like very disciplined. The country is very disciplined, very clean, very quiet, very peaceful and it's it's like people are also so much cooperative and throughout the day you are just going for your work, you are doing your stuff and you're coming back and you're having your family life, family time. The quality of life is another level over there. >> Because the peace of mind you get over there I haven't experienced in any other country. >> We visited couple of countries too for tourist tourism purpose but we find Japan is the best. >> Yes absolutely. >> What is that peace of mind like? Maybe you can explain a little bit more. yeah.

4:30 >> Okay. First of all, I would say that you know pe the people are very quiet over there. Even if we are conversing, if we talk with each other, then the second person won't come to know what we are talking. It's not that they are they don't want to share that. But their tone is very low. First of all, >> tone is low and they respect others privacy a lot. And if we talk about the peace of mind, so it's again it's not about comparing two countries but in other than Japan we have experienced in many places like for small things even if you are stepping out say for example you are stepping out for work or anything right from the beginning your day starts you deal with multiple people for multiple reason and for small small things things sometimes you have to you know you face that challenges like I don't know how to explain maybe with with auto wallala with shopkeeper with other people on the road for small small things but in Japan

5:32 People are themselves they are so much self- disciplined and self-aware and very empathetic so you don't get h get into that argument or small fights or you know it's it's like your face will be like this throughout the day it won't it it will never get this thing why this is happening I you know >> so there is no frustration at all like in the day life >> 0% it's like 0% they value others time also so the puality is there if you have committed for 11:00 the person will be there 10 minutes >> your doorstep 10:55 I'll be there we'll wait for 2 minutes and exactly 2 to 3 minutes before he will ring the bell >> yeah [laughter] it's it's never we never remember in past 15 years of my living there more than 20 years his I never remember that we have to call someone that it's the time where are you or you are late or something like that. So these small small things like peace of mind you never have to deal with such things.

6:32 So how about language? You know the language barrier like did you guys face you know having impact on the day-to-day lives? >> Yes. for me my company sponsored for for a school for a Japanese school and they made me go for one year every day Monday to Friday in morning school. It was a morning school and because of that I had a good grip on my language. So if you talk about language barrier if you overcome that barrier it's a small step it must be hard in the beginning because if you are a Gujarati or Hindi person or the grammar composition of Japanese and the grammar composition of Hindi it's exactly same >> so learning that language would be bit easier for conversation if you talk about writing and all it will be bit difficult definitely So

7:32 [clears throat] if you overcome that barrier the life is too good. >> Yes. And in my opinion like he said if you overcome this barrier life is absolutely amazing but yes language is a >> challenge. Big challenge very big challenge like they don't even speak in English. >> I mean they don't even try. >> They don't even try. They are very much comfortable in their own culture in their own language and without I mean you can imagine without knowing the language you are like quiet for 24 hours you don't even get a chance to interact with anyone or even if you are going for grocery shopping like Japan is a country where people that stable food is like nonh they eat fish rice and everything so in every being vegetarian and that to Jen it was again a another challenge food so whenever I used to go for grocery shopping or any any any shopping like food related. So there's this ingredients I need to read but then every time if you're not aware of the language then you have to ask for support maybe you have to call

8:34 The person who knows because then you need to check the ingredients each and every time and other than that also language knowing language in a country you are living is a very necessary thing. So when I got engaged our engagement period was say for around 9 months or so I was very much like enthu by nature and I I never liked certain sort of dependency on anyone. So I was like I had this mindset that before stepping beforeh moving to Japan at least I should be knowing the basics like what is this what is that what's your name at least basic. So I was working I completed my studies in 2003 and then I was working. So I used to go for this Japanese language tions for weekends. So basic I was through and

9:18 Then after shifting over there I joined that they have this government classes also which are free and they two three times a week. So I have joined that as well. Then even I have joined the school for full-time but I couldn't complete the all the levels. They have five levels like N5, N3, N4, N3, N2, N1. It's called JLPT. So I could clear till entry but since we are on a public broadcast so I would definitely I would like to tell people if you are planning to go to Japan for work or for studies it's an amazing country to work for you you will get a lot of opportunities because they really value people people's time and the salary part >> I mean if you're giving your best you're going to get the best that is for sure but if you know the language then the opportunities are endless but if If you don't know the language, it'll be very limited. Very, very, very limited.

10:12 >> Understood. So, sounds like I think it's a peace of mind. Everything is going great. and time flew by. I mean, you spent more than two decades in Japan >> and was there ever a thought of moving to India or like why this thought of moving to India occurred? >> See back of the mind there was somewhere my parents are living over here. I have a younger brother who lives in Melbourne. So somewhere it was in my mind that near future B might have to go back but it was not that hardwired in my mind that should be have to go back. So it was never like that but so you know couple of years back just a business opportunity came and me and my wife we both discussed about it and then how the idea came and then we executed it and it went well.

11:06 >> Yes. Because of course life is very good over there but matter of fact is there are hardships also like you don't get any sort of u domestic help everything is on your own plus language barrier is the biggest barrier because then for me personally it was I like

11:23 To learn new things but because of the language barrier somewhere I I got stuck I used to work over there as well but then the life was very monotonous nothing new to learn nothing new to explore it was a very steady life And of course as I have mentioned the domestic help which we get over here which is very like and food barrier >> food barrier language barrier food if you're vegetarian it's going to be difficult >> even at this time like you know in 2025 like you know finding the best but much better >> much better it is improving it is definitely >> after co it has got much much better but that before co if I would say there were hardly like I can count on my fingertips vegetables we used to get So it's like that. >> Got it. So it's the business opportunity that made you move to India. So was this something that you are exploring or just like something that just fell in your lap and so that's when you consider the move to India?

12:20 >> No, I was bit of exploring about it because as she said the life over there gets monotonous. Same it goes with the business too. I'm in the diamond business. If you must have heard about the present situation, it's not so rosy. It was very much the business was very much good couple of years back. But since the lab grown diamonds have come up we were into natural diamonds. The business was you know it was diminishing at very slow pace. So at that very moment we got a got an opportunity that if we want to move back to India India is a growing market it's expanding at another level. So we thought that we we can go back we can try if it things god forbid doesn't go as well we can anytime we can bounce back.

13:15 >> So it's with the same company but it's a different business unit here in India. what's like the immigration status like you know they give permanent residency or how does that work in Japan maybe you can >> as I said couple of years back the visa procedure [snorts] immigration procedure were very much smooth since the new prime minister when she she took the charge she made the sum of immigration's rules very strict because

13:49 There were people who took unnecessary due undue advantages of the you know what do you say Japan is that kind of country that they they feel that we are following the rules the other person will also follow the rules >> yes >> but there were little discrepancy in that so I think so she made some rules tight so at present current situation if you want to get a PR over there it is bit of challenge 10 years back it was not there but now it's very much challenge but ha yeah you are graduated you have a certain degrees you have a certain certificates with you definitely the visa procedure will be okay it it's like you follow their rules perfectly there will be no problem >> cool and how old was the kid at the time of the move >> from Japan to India right >> two years back he was 11 years yes Okay.

14:48 So how was the adjustment for him like especially growing up in Japan like maybe the language like the culture and everything and then moving to India like how did he adapt? >> He was enjoying life in Japan like anything and he was a very disciplined he is a very disciplined child and thanks to Japan for that. Japan has shaped us the way we are today. I would say we are very fortunate to be a part of that country. for Kush my son he is he was through with the language as well the reason behind is there's there's in Japan there are daycare centers it's called hoquin one of the I would say wonder of the world it's it's that u what do you say you can rely on them blindly >> oh >> the activities during the day they have the way they take care of your child and the age it's like from 1 day till 6 years you can keep your child in

15:50 Daycare. So when Kush was say around one for delivery and he was hardly for a month and I took him back and then he was born and brought up I mean brought up over there only we used to come only for vacations in December just for 15 20 days and he used to enjoy over year as well but only for vacations. So we were like sort of under impression that it won't be he's a like people oriented person he likes family he likes to be surrounded by people. So we were like okay to time it might take a little bit but it's okay but the scenario was totally different after we shifted to India and he was like he struggled a lot initial 8 to 10 minutes I would say he literally struggled a lot I mean every other day he used to cry and for initial 6 months I still remember he used to you know discuss with Jan every day like when he was coming back to the office from the office and he used to discuss about his work and he used to google it and he used to research everything which other countries are there which has you know diamond business scope and everything and he used to literally he has he has shortlisted three four countries okay papa not in Japan maybe

16:52 We can go and explore over here but he never wanted to you know >> we thought it was still a tender age at 11 years old >> so it will be easy for him to adapt the new scenario the new culture over here but we we were a bit wrong in that >> yeah and he was much more mature than we thought >> till date I mean given an option he'll pack us back tomorrow and he'll move back to Japan it's it's it's that >> that's interesting so what was that he was missing or what is that he didn't like here and where he's still like you

17:25 Know yeah liking like to go back or you know go to some other places >> first I would say cleanliness >> cleanliness >> then civic sense >> civic sense the discipline I mean he has done his karate at the age of I guess 5 years he started karate Karate and till 10 he did I mean he got black belt over there and the discipline he got to learn in karate as well it's again another level so he has been grown up in that culture in that atmosphere so he's finding I mean we have born and brought up over here so we are very much you know used to with certain things we have certain things in in our mind okay this is going to happen like that only this is India >> yeah this is India event because the culture is different countries depend we are used to but he's not.

18:13 >> So in initial time it was like every single day why this is like that why I have to do this and why so lot of things. So yeah he's missing that discipline basic culture civic sense and everything.

18:25 >> Mhm. So that was very interesting. So he's still like trying to figure it out or like still Yeah. >> Yes. Though God grace his school is very good and he is very much like got used to with the school and friends >> but once he's home again. [laughter] >> Yeah. So how is the life for you for both of you? I know spending more than couple of decades in that kind of environment to the things that we slightly talked about cleanliness and all the other side. How was how was it going for you guys? Mumbai is like a it's very dynamic city that's why we are giving time to ourselves definitely [clears throat] it's not we are okay we are thorough with India we are okay now it's not like that to be frank but we want to give time to ourself we are and what what I want to say is India is changing in in a you know drastic way so we are giving that thing you know it

19:25 Will change it will things will get better in couple of months or in couple of years as well. So we are just being patient right now. >> And for me it is challenging in terms of ter terms of socials. I mean in life in Japan was very just me him and my kid and couple of friends here we all are aware of the social life in India. The festivals the festive season. Yeah those things are challenging. plus everyday survival during the day chores those things dealing with dealing with people multiple people multiple people for multiple work so managing time going according to their >> you know mentality and stuff so yeah that is one thing and secondly for my career that is also like it's if I

20:22 Talk about my work experience till now but it is as good as zero over here because somewhere I don't know how to explain but the when when I have given couple of interviews and whenever we talk about salary it's like there is no comparison not about comparison but it's not even somewhere near what I used to have and what I'm going to get and what people are offering and the amount of work is more than what I used to do in Japan. So that is little challenging somewhere I would say it's a big compromise on my part because as I have mentioned the mental state of mind of Kush so I was not willing to go out and work. So even I have some restriction like I have to work search for work from home flexibility of working hours and everything. So considering all that the offers what I was getting in terms of package and profile it was really challenging that yeah >> somewhere then somewhere down the line

21:22 After a year I have to made up my mind okay this is going to be like this only I have to be patient like he said I have to be patient in this let me just grab it whatever I'm having right now so yeah that's how I started but one good thing has happened I learned something new which I wanted to which was not possible in Japan so when I shifted back to India I took one course for like two 10 months I studied and then yeah I started my career again. >> Got it. And what's your professional background and so maybe just to get some context right like know which area were you working on so that people can understand the opportunities in India like what you have mentioned is starking difference right like you know the experience that you have nobody cared about it or the salary or the expectations. So maybe you can expand a little bit in terms of your professional background and how the opportunities are here in India.

22:12 >> So I belong to an advertising field. I have studied commercial arts and then 2003 I have completed my studies. Then I was working here with different companies like Angel One, Just Dial and an advertising agency. But I basically I was into branding and advertising and after shifting back to India. Initial one and a half year I really struggled with the language. As I've mentioned, if you're not through with the language, you're not going to get what you actually looking for. You have to compromise somewhere. But luckily, again, I got a good profile, but it was into sales and marketing. Then again, it was totally new to me. But I could perform really well and I was with same company for 12 years. So there I was working into sales and marketing and again after coming back to India, I really wanted to start my career into creatives again. But then there was a big gap of 12 to 13 years. So again I have studied this UIUX car course. and then again I was trying but then as I have mentioned for designing it was as good as I'm a fresher. So I was getting opportunities like that. Then right now

23:14 My current profile is as a I'm

23:16 Working as a visual communication specialist as well as marketing and the industry is semiconductor which is again totally new for me. >> Got it. And Jan like I think in terms of your corporate world right I think you know because you never worked in India before you took the opportunity and now working in India how has been your experience in terms of [clears throat] work culture work dynamics and so on. See as I said work culture after coming to India okay I am an Indian but being an Indian I got a culture shock and I am so much hardwired with the Japanese culture Japanese mentality so adapting this whole new life is difficult for me >> it is like how he mentioned about Japan and Japanese people they feel that if they are following the rules even the other person is going to do the same same is happening with us after staying for such a long period over there somehow that culture has u it's in us.

24:15 >> Yes, it's in our >> we are thinking like that. So initial year was literally sometimes it was even even I have to call my sister I used to message her first can I call you are you free and she was like are you mad what are you doing just call me it's like that so as far as work is also concerned we are carrying the same mentality like the it's going to be like straightforward you can rely anyone blindly and the goods are going to be in the best quality and stuff like that so yeah those are the challenges we are facing >> and did Do you ever feel like you should move back?

24:51 >> Oh, many times. [laughter] >> Many times. Yeah, definitely. Be honest. >> Yeah, many times. >> Many times we feel like sometimes some someday we'll go so much frustrated and I would call her right away that let's move back tomorrow. move back tomorrow only like because see traveling is the biggest challenge for him. I would say there we used to use bicycles. I mean like and his office was hardly 5 minutes from my from our house and here he has to travel all the way train then by bus by rag shower however and it is a big challenge I mean there we used to get that quality time but here traveling is like then car 2 to three hours he spending and that and that is also not smooth. >> So what's holding you back? come in you know again is there like a bigger why that's kind of like putting you and giving you more time like so what's happening like how how are you dealing with this dilemma right I mean you know when you get frustrated you want to do that and how did you like you know think through this and how you move it forward

25:51 I would say the faith in our country faith with with our family this two things are holding us back >> because because of her support I'm holding my back and it goes vice versa. my because of our parents we want to stay over here and things will settle down, things will go okay, things will be things will get better and for child also I would say what do you say you get street smart over here you cannot get street smart outside outside of India what we feel so that thing what we wanted in our child >> it [clears throat] will be there after in couple of years So >> cuz I still remember when Kush has joined the school he was in sixth grade.

26:41 I wouldn't say probably on this public broadcast but his teacher he was like she was very cooperative and very much like you know she supported Kush very much in the initial days and months. So she used to call me he's too much discipline for Indian culture and kids and stuff like that. So yeah and of

27:01 Course there are lot of benefits in India. I mean sometimes see sometimes it depends what situation you are in and you get frustrated because we have seen that life >> exactly >> and you you feel like let's just go back but we have also seen the hardships in Japan we have experienced that as well and we are seeing the benefits we are we are living the benefits in India for example that everything is on your fingertips blanket swiggy all e-commerce everything and things have changed drastically like what it used to 15 years back it's not it's not there anymore I mean things are improving of course we are watching Mr. the takaram also that is also one side but then it's part and parcel country is growing country is trying really hard and I see a lot of opportunity and future in India so yeah maybe plus minus so I can know let's just give us more time in India only and one thing is that also whoever our friends and

28:02 Community in Japan he has as I said he has to travel every second month to Japan not a single person till now has told us that you made a mistake. Everybody's like if we get a chance we'll move back to India >> because somewhere in business also people are struggling over there and the other challenges are definitely there language food everything. >> So if we yeah if you talk about kids perspective my child's future perspective India is the place definitely because language barrier is over there.

28:32 >> Yeah. So let's talk a little bit on the planning side right you know once you made a decision how did you plan the move like from a financial side logistic side like if you can talk through that I think that would be very helpful >> okay so first of all [clears throat] logistic side it's like it was not like we want to take all the belongings from there to here only your personal stuff should be fine and financial side I would say still Japan is on the higher side. The cost of living is higher over there and which part of India you are moving it's very important. >> Mumbai is definitely again it's it is also on higher side and it's increasing.

29:20 So financial part I would say if you are on a medium to higher side you are sound then you should think of coming back to India and definitely for Mumbai. if you go into some three tire city if you're going to three tire city then it should be fine. But then also financially I would say some things are cheaper in Japan nowadays compared to Mumbai. Plus quality >> plus quality the >> I mean >> what do you get in return if you the value for with the money if you say >> I literally have no words for this Ainach I mean it's like even if I'll try I won't be able to explain even if you are spending 50 rupees to get a thing the quality the packaging the everything you'll get is like worth it >> which is like I feel highly missing over here highly missing even if you're spending >> Yeah. So so logistically first of all

30:22 It is it is very smooth not so much of hardship and financially you you can sit and evaluate because even we did that for a couple of weeks we you know we did okay rent for daily life then for school for education for our entertainment purpose we did the all the maths and calculation and then we shifted and we are very much comfortable right Got it. Like you know what what did you do with your like pension funds or like brokerage accounts like or any of that investments in Japan like at the time of the move? >> See in my case I'm still a part of Japan right now. So I'm it's it's a slow process but I'm slowly I'm winding up over there and bringing money or bringing pension anything from there to India it's very much easy India and Japan is having a treaty

31:23 So if I have a pension yeah if I mean if you have a pension in Japan after certain if you fulfill that certain criteria if you're like paying for certain years they will give you back and that was assured. >> Even if you are staying in India, they will transfer to your India account. >> Cool. I know you mentioned about the cost of living. if you're okay like on average now that you have been living for a couple of years like is there a number that you can give as a range so that people can understand what to expect because

31:57 The cost of living has increased in India. I think you know people like you know prepare for it but they might still underestimate especially the real estate or the school fees. Yes. >> So if there's any data points that we can share that could help people like you know when they are doing their own calculations or you know planning that could definitely help them. >> Okay. So see first of all if you have a house in India it will make a huge difference. If you don't have a house it will make a huge difference. So if you don't have the house, if you want to say you just moved to India and you want to try so you rent an apartment and you leave over there, I would say anything. It should be anything around 200k.

32:42 >> 200,000 per month should be comfortable. >> It includes your kids school fees. everything your basic necessity group everything monthly expenses >> monthly expenses everything >> but it's a pretty comfortable life then you'll be having >> yeah so you're talking about two lakhs per month >> two lakhs rupees per month you should have >> and if you have a h house if you are not going to pay the rent then I would say it will decrease to like 130 to 150k >> yeah that is also like on a higher side we are safer that in higher side we are >> yeah definitely I mean It's better to be prepared than I think you know feeling sorry after the move. Got it. >> Cool. so what would you say to people who are thinking about moving to India

33:27 Or some friends or you know some people like from Japan who are considering about moving to India? What would be your advice? M >> okay my frankly speaking like we said if you don't have a language issue over there if you don't have a food issue over there you should stay back there and if you are having of course a good life with financially if you are sound if you are having a business or you are having a what do you say a good working with a good company if you say say like for coming 10 15 like 20 years I'll be okay staying over there then don't come back over here but if you see a little possibility that in future like how we said that we want to get raise our child for his letter later letter lateral life in India then you should come back to

34:29 Come back to India >> because there's this one thing Japan may things are not that flexible Okay. people are not flexible over there. I mean they they will go by book. Even if you have you are looking for a say normal swimming classes or karate classes for your kid, it's not going to be that smooth. >> The processes are not >> it's it's very much time taking. Medical is also very challenging over there. Yeah. That's a big thing. It's a big thing because it's every time like we have to call here consult our doctor and we got to we you know we used to >> you know what do you say the family doctor term or the luxury of having your family doctor's mobile number a personal number it's only in India you don't get anything this kind of that over there if you want to get like okay I'm bkar I want to get a blood test you have to go through a certain channel you have to go through a certain process only and then only you will get the results >> and then to they will not always doing

35:29 That for example if my doctor is telling me over here you might be having vitamin D deficiency and if I'll go straight way to the doctor in Japan and I'll say I'm going to do this they'll not do it why you want to do vitamin D test and for every for every bead anything for every problem they have only one reason stress stress stress so the judgment is also like I wouldn't say >> the diagnosis is but you know We didn't find well over there. They must be having lot of people's story. >> They must be having best technology. >> I mean it's not compared to any other place on this earth. I would like to say like as a women and then as a man there's this difference because in Japan they have their fixed job fixed routine but I have seen many girls many of my friends who are well educated who are like doctor by profession who are like dentist and some other doctor and engineers I mean they are not able to explore in their career because of the hardships of and challenges of language

36:29 Because learning Japanese language is again is not that easy. It is time taking and lot of efforts you need to put in. So yeah, if you're looking for that part plus the what do you say life is easy for us over here because you are getting lot of domestic health as well as everything is on your fingertips plus you get your family support even if you're not well there even if I was having influenza like four fever or three fever I have to get up and I have to work in certain of course he was helping me but there are limitations. So yeah those kind of challenges are there which are which which looks okay when you are listening but when you are leaving it for for a longer period then it it gets little frustrating. So maybe it's different for >> male >> male female perspective whether you should come back or not. Yeah, for sure.

37:20 I know you mentioned about this medical thing. Is it like again just to confirm even with the private practices also like the private hospitals you still like have difficulty in terms of the test or yeah you know diagnosis and all that stuff. >> Private hospitals are not much popular in Japan particularly there are there of course but first of all very few very few and because of the you know cost it is very expensive. So if you go through their health insurance generally they cover 70% of your cost and 30% you need to bear from your pocket but if you go for privatization it will be like 100% from your pocket and it is very costly. >> People generally go for government and which is up to date which is >> as good as private >> as good as private government facilities are there in Japan and for kids if you're taking insurance for kids it's free totally free.

38:17 Years 15 16 years it is 100% free >> I mean even if you are go for some higher test or MRI or statistics kind of anything everything is free absolutely zero >> got it >> cool so is there anything else that we haven't covered or anything that you want to bring up with our audience probably >> visit Japan >> yeah you should definitely visit [clears throat] Japan you should learn from them they keep themselves is later they keep you first. Even if you are like >> very empathetic, >> very empathetic. >> I I would say that if you are standing in a queue, they will definitely come and stand behind you. They will never try to break that queue. the patience they have, the empathy they have. I mean we have witnessed the 2011 earthquake over there and of course there were certain area where people has to you know they lost their houses and they have to be in their what do you say

39:19 Care center >> in their for a couple of days but they were so and they used to get only there's this food a very famous food onigiri over there it's kind of a rice ball and they used to get to I I don't know the exact amount or number of phone very limited supply but people were so much patient they were standing in a queue in that situation as [clears throat] well >> so it's it's not that me first me first me first very much and that is the biggest win in Japan government is also taking care of people whereas people are also equally responsible enough for their country for the government and they have this faith it's vice versa and that is I think one of the remarkable thing in Japan which any country should learn I feel I I mean we if even if we look at the Hiroshima Nagasa Kika incident the way the country has >> it came up after that >> it's remarkable.

40:13 >> So yeah everyone should visit Japan once we have a lot to learn from Japan and Japanese people. Definitely. >> Yeah for sure. I mean I think you know some of the traits that you mentioned I think it's just so important like how much progress we can make here in India like with those discipline and civil. Because India has everything only certain things are missing I feel if it's unbeatable India nobody can beat India we have that multi-talented brains over here we have that flexibility adapt adaptability and as I said it's a dynamic country and Mumbai as a city definitely so only few things are missing if I mean I I don't know how to frame this but I I feel really fortunate that I'm carrying that Japan discipline and I'm seeing India growing like I really want to see India growing with the discipline of Japan.

41:10 >> Yeah definitely. >> Yeah. So thank you very much Nha and Janat for taking the time for sharing your story. I really appreciate it. So thanks a lot. Thank to you for having us because to be honest our one part will be always in Japan and we are very much you know happy to share the story and about Japan literally we are very much happy to share on this platform. So thank you so much for having us and >> thank you very much.