Why am I still here.. (Japan Update)
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the creator discusses their four-year struggle to move to Japan, detailing the emotional and logistical challenges. Despite securing a preliminary visa and exchanging over 700 emails, they remain unable to enter due to Japan's strict border closures. The creator expresses frustration with the uncertainty and the impact on their mental health, empathizes with the estimated 350,000 others in similar limbo, and calls for transparency from the Japanese government. They also highlight the irony of being approved for a five-year stay yet being denied entry, and the broader implications for those separated from family and opportunities.
Takeaways
- 🌐 The speaker has been trying to move to Japan for four years but is currently not there.
- 💔 Leaving behind friends and life in their home country was a difficult decision for the speaker.
- 📧 The visa process involved over 700 emails of correspondence, highlighting its complexity.
- 🚫 Japan's strict border control due to COVID-19 has been a significant obstacle, preventing entry even with a visa.
- 😔 The speaker feels it's inappropriate to complain about their situation given the global pandemic's broader impact.
- 🔄 There's a constant internal struggle between giving up and continuing to pursue the move to Japan.
- 📉 The lack of updates on border reopening from the Japanese government adds to the speaker's frustration.
- 🏢 The speaker has established a company in Japan, including an office and an employee, despite not being able to enter.
- 😓 The uncertainty has led to a limbo situation affecting around 350,000 people, as reported by The New York Times.
- 🙏 The speaker expresses empathy for others in similar situations and wishes for more transparency from the Japanese government.
Q & A
How long has the speaker been trying to move to Japan?
-The speaker has been trying to move to Japan for four years.
What was the speaker's initial difficulty in deciding to move to Japan?
-The initial difficulty was the decision to leave behind everything they had built, including friends and connections.
How many emails were exchanged during the speaker's visa process?
-The speaker counted 700 emails exchanged during the visa process.
Why has Japan kept its borders closed?
-Japan has kept its borders closed primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why did the speaker avoid making a video about their situation?
-The speaker avoided making a video because they did not want to appear as someone who is well-off complaining about COVID-19 affecting them, and they felt it was a complicated issue.
What is the speaker's main frustration regarding the border closure?
-The speaker's main frustration is the lack of updates and certainty about when Japan will reopen its borders, leading to a guessing game and uncertainty.
How has the speaker's situation affected their daily life?
-The speaker's situation has caused them to oscillate between wanting to give up and feeling determined to move to Japan, causing emotional distress.
What is the estimated number of people in a similar situation as the speaker, according to a New York Times article?
-According to a New York Times article, approximately 350,000 people are in a similar limbo situation as the speaker.
What does the speaker have to show for their efforts in Japan despite not being able to enter?
-The speaker has an approved visa for five years, a company set up in Japan, an employee, and a house, despite not being allowed to enter the country.
Why does the speaker feel a sense of responsibility towards others in the same situation?
-The speaker feels a sense of responsibility because many people in similar situations have reached out to them, hoping for some influence or advocacy.
What is the speaker's final message to Japan regarding their situation?
-The speaker's final message is a request for Japan to provide an update on border policies to give people in similar situations some clarity and peace of mind.
Outlines
🌐 Struggling with Visas Amidst Pandemic
The speaker discusses their long-standing desire to move to Japan, which has been a four-year journey fraught with challenges. Despite leaving behind a supportive network of friends, they are determined to embark on this adventure while young. The process of obtaining a preliminary visa involved a staggering 700 emails, highlighting the complexity and effort required. However, Japan's strict border policies due to COVID-19 have prevented their entry, even for those in the midst of the visa process. The speaker expresses frustration at the lack of updates and the uncertainty of the situation, which has led to a state of limbo for many, including themselves. They also touch upon the emotional toll of this ordeal, oscillating between giving up and persevering, and the broader impact on approximately 350,000 people in similar situations, as reported by The New York Times.
🏠 Ready but Barred: The Irony of Closed Borders
In the second paragraph, the speaker laments the irony of being approved for a five-year stay in Japan yet being unable to enter due to ongoing border closures. They describe the additional frustration of seeing Japanese citizens travel freely to other countries while foreigners, including themselves with business interests and investments in Japan, are barred from entry. The speaker details the extensive preparations made, such as establishing a company, securing an office, and even having a house in Japan, all while being physically unable to enter the country. They express a sense of helplessness and the desire for clarity from the Japanese government, hoping that sharing their story might provide comfort to others in similar predicaments and possibly prompt some form of update or resolution.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Japan
💡Visa
💡Correspondence
💡Border closure
💡Adventure
💡Limbo
💡Covid-19
💡Update
💡New York Times
💡Office in Japan
💡Emotional toll
Highlights
The speaker has been trying to move to Japan for four years.
The decision to move involved leaving behind a supportive network of friends.
Obtaining a preliminary visa was a challenging process involving over 700 emails of correspondence.
Japan's strict border closure due to COVID-19 has prevented entry for many, including those with visas.
The speaker avoided discussing their situation publicly to not appear as complaining about COVID-19's impact.
The uncertainty of Japan's border reopening has caused significant stress and indecision.
The speaker feels they are living a cautionary tale, unsure of its moral.
The difficulty of making a choice to move to another country is emphasized.
The lack of information on border reopening has led to a guessing game and frustration.
The speaker has been approved for a five-year stay in Japan but is still not allowed to enter.
The speaker has established a business and home in Japan despite not being able to enter.
An estimated 350,000 people are in a similar limbo situation, unable to enter Japan.
The emotional toll of being in limbo is highlighted by the speaker's interactions with others in the same situation.
The speaker expresses sympathy for those who have given up hope of entering Japan.
The frustration of seeing Japanese citizens travel freely while foreigners are barred is noted.
The speaker calls for an update from the Japanese government to help those in limbo.
The speaker concludes by expressing gratitude for being able to share their experience and hopes for others in similar situations.
Transcripts
you may have noticed I am not in Japan
you are correct congratulations for
those who don't know me and my say have
been trying to move to Japan now
for quite a while
four years
uh even just make oh God ow
even just making the choice to move
there was really difficult we obviously
would be leaving everything that we
built here behind all these amazing
friends but we just felt like we really
want to take on on this adventure while
we're still young
just getting the preliminary Visa just
that was a huge process but it didn't
matter because we wanted to go so badly
I counted all the emails with with the
correspondence and it's 700 emails like
we're not able to enter Because Japan
has been kept their Border close for
everyone uh even people going through a
Visa process during this most of this
time at least and you know there's
probably because of covet and and that's
the reason why I avoided making a video
even talking about this usually I I
share what's going on with you guys but
it just felt like uh I don't think the
world needs someone who's you know well
off complaining how covet is affecting
them and it's also a complicated issue
and I just felt like this is going to
complicate it more if I talk about it
and I don't want to read a bunch of
headlines I can already see them like
PewDiePie complaints about not being
able to enter Japan I get it it sounds
entitled but at this point I just wanted
to give an update and sort of talk about
what we've been through these past two
years make because it's kind of driving
me a bit crazy
I bother my friends and family about
this like 600 times and be like what
what did you think I should do
by the way what do you think I should do
okay
um because every day I swear at this
point because it's been so long it first
year was fine whatever uh every day I go
from we should just give up this is
ridiculous like it shouldn't have taken
this long you know maybe it just wasn't
meant to be they're not giving us any
updates on when they're planning to
reopen you know why should they change
their mind all of a sudden it's
obviously what if it takes another two
years like we can't just wait forever
and then we go from that to we spent
three years all this money we're all
these things we're gonna go we probably
and I just jump in between that every
single day and it's it's awesome it's
great and that's the thing like I feel
like I'm living a cautionary tale and I
don't know what the meaning behind it is
is it never give up or is it don't give
up because you never know how close you
are I wish I knew this is the hardest
choice I ever made and I don't know one
of the most difficult part about this
whole thing has been not knowing if I
knew that they were going to be close
for two years then at least we couldn't
have made some choices around that we
could have made trips to see our family
more we could have not stayed in my
office for two years we thought we'd be
here for a couple months Max we could
have avoided playing this guessing game
of oh the Olympics that surely they're
gonna open up for the Olympics they're
gonna have to have an audience okay no
um okay maybe maybe now the cases are
really low uh and they weren't giving
any updates it's just like maybe next
one okay well maybe next one maybe next
month and maybe next month and do that
24 times it's like maybe this is my
fault for being so crazy about it but it
is a big choice to make when you make
the choice to move to another country
and it's hard to get just strongly and
as it turns out I'm not alone in this
situation uh there was a New York Times
article estimating about 350 000 people
stuck in this limbo situation the same
as I am not people entering with
business Visa like I am but uh students
as well who have already paid their
tuition but they're not allowed in just
want to make it clear like it's not
tourists it's not people going uh
they're still closed
guess I'll have to re-schedule my flight
again you know it it's people who made
this difficult choice and and they don't
even have a choice at this point of them
having to wait and honestly reading
their stories online because a lot of
them have been trying to contact me and
send me messages it breaks my heart
because if this has been heavy for me I
can't imagine for all these people and
I'm honestly just so sorry now that they
close their border for everyone in
December I think that was the last straw
for a lot of people seeing messages of
people giving up it's just so sad and
another sad part is like all these
people riding me that are in this limbo
situation are hoping that I'm gonna like
urge on the Japanese government of like
do something but it they just closed
down for everyone like even not now not
even Japanese people can accidentally
turn you know people that were hoping to
see their family abroad can't do that
now and sucks for everyone so you know
obviously it's not gonna matter if I
talk about it that's just not the case
and I guess that's the point people are
so desperate that their their last hope
is literally some Swedish YouTuber
complaining online which I'm sorry I'm
not even doing I just wanted to explain
my situation I will say it has been
frustrating also seeing that other
Japanese people can travel to other
countries as they want but their own
borders have been closed for everyone
this entire time
kind of like that's there's no one else
talking about this should am I the one
am I the only one seeing this shouldn't
countries like call this out I don't
know if I'm allowed to show it but I am
approved to go for five years which is
amazing uh I would love that but I'm not
allowed in but as part of part of me
acquiring this I had to get an office in
Japan do you know how hard it is to get
an office Japan if you're not even
allowed to enter the country but thanks
to our friend sir we were able to do it
this is part of our view so I had to
have that I have a company in Japan a
business ready to set up I'm gonna pay
my taxes whatever I have an employee in
Japan I have a house in Japan I'm
approved to go but I'm not allowed in
and it's like damn we're still here huh
I keep meeting people here and they're
like you're still here and it's like
yeah still here I don't know what to
tell you I'm almost like sorry for even
making this video it feels it just feels
super lame I don't like talking about
this it feels like I'm complaining and I
feel entitled but you know I appreciate
being able to talk about my situation
and I hope that other people in my same
situation can find some comfort that
you're not alone and Japan if you can
give an update at least a lot of people
would appreciate it and that was it for
my update still not in Japan but I'll be
fine and I'm happy either way so thank
you for listening that's it bye
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