With border restrictions lifted over a year ago and society returning to a state of semi-normalcy, some foreign residents are considering packing up and leaving Japan for good in the coming year. Are you one of them?
If you are, all I can say is, ÐĤòÒý¤¾†¤á¤Æ¤ª¤«¤Ê¤¤¤È (Kokoro o hikishimete okanai to, You¡¯d better steel yourself). Making the permanent move home is a complicated logistical process, especially if you¡¯ve been residing here for years. And as it turns out, it is alarmingly easy to make a mistake that will follow you back to your ĸ¹ú (bokoku, home country).
I heard about one particular Âä¤È¤·Ñ¨ (otoshiana, pitfall) from a non-Japanese friend. Let¡¯s call him ¡°Guy Cocques-Jean.¡± Guy had lived in Saitama for several years and in Japan for even longer, but the COVID-19 era was lonely and he found himself thinking more and more about À¤ê (sato-gaeri, a return home). Although Guy had left Japan in his heart, he was still physically tied down by his possessions ¡ª his many, many possessions. Over half a decade, Guy had accrued a whole apartment full of them. And for him to depart, his things had to go first.
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