9 Reasons Why You Should Move to Japan
1. Safety First: A Low-Crime Nation
Japan is a safe country, and safety is its primary concern. Such standards explain why citizens can walk around freely without worrying about falling victim to criminals. Focusing on safety and quality of life gains would attract many people seeking a safe home. When people have friendly communities and trustworthy police, Japan is where they would love to be, and it can be considered secure.
Crime Rate in Japan
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- Overall Crime Rate: In 2022, Japan reported 601,331 criminal offenses, 5.8% more than the previous year, the first increase since 2002. The crime rate per 100,000 population in 2021 was lower than in previous years and was 0.23. (Japan Crime Rate & Statistics 1960-2024)
- Homicides: In the case of homicides, there were 853 in 2022, and this was 21 less than in 2021. This gives a homicide rate of about 0.7 persons killed per 100000 population, putting it among the lowest all over the world. ( Nippon, 2023 )
- Theft and Robbery: They include assault, which had 91,444 cases recorded; theft, 407; 911 cases recorded in 2022; and other miscellaneous offenses. Robberies rose a little higher to 1,148 incidents.
- Violent Crimes: Regarding violent crime rates, there were 21.1 assaults and 0.7 murders per 100000 inhabitants in 2021.
- Recidivism Rate: The rate of recidivism was 47.9 percent, down slightly from two years before.
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Comparison with Global Crime Rates
- Global Homicide Rates: According to the UNODC data up to 2013, the intentional homicide rate is one of the lowest globally at 0.3 per 100,000 population, while in many countries, the numbers are more than 20 per 100,000.
Safety Perception: In an October 2023 survey with help from the National Police Agency, 64.7% of people agreed that Japan is a safe country. However, this number has dropped compared to past years.
2. Strong Economy and Job Opportunities
A strong economy is crucial for a good quality of life. Japan, as one of the largest global economies, offers a high quality of life for its citizens in many fields. This high standard of living makes Japan among the most popular nations to invest in, work or reside in, attracting potential residents.
Economic Advantages
- GDP Growth: Japan’s nominal GDP is around $4.11 trillion, making it the fourth largest economy in the globe, topped only by the United States, China, and Germany. This puts Japan at strategic economic power within the global economic market.
- Low Unemployment Rate: Japan is known to have a low unemployment rate. It averages 2.6 % or slightly above, while the world average is around 5.5%. This suggests strong employment prospects today and economic stability.
- High Standard of Living: The quality of life in the country is relatively high. The country’s HDI value is 0.919, which signifies that it is amongst the developed countries.
Comparison with Other Countries
Metric | Japan | Germany | India |
Nominal GDP (2024) | $4.11 trillion | $4.59 trillion | $3.94 trillion |
PPP Adjusted GDP | $6.72 trillion | $5.69 trillion | $14.59 trillion |
Per Capita GDP | $33,140 | $54,290 | $2,730 |
Financial Assets | $12 trillion | N/A | N/A |
Trade Balance | Annual trade surplus | Strong exporter | N/A |
3. High-Quality Healthcare System
The country’s healthcare systems are sound and developed with state-of-the-art technology, and its health practitioners are known for their friendliness. This technological advancement and the country’s commitment to providing quality and affordable medical services make it an ideal destination for those seeking efficient healthcare coverage.
Japan's High-Quality and Affordable Healthcare System
- Universal Coverage: Nearly all residents of Japan must join health insurance, which guarantees each citizen necessary medical services.
- Cost Sharing: Medical care is affordable because the government covers about 70% of health care costs. Individuals pay the remaining 30%.
- Healthcare Facilities: Japan has approximately 181,000 facilities with diverse providers. It has three times as many hospitals as the United States does per capita.
- High Utilization Rates: People in Japan utilize physicians and other healthcare facilities 5,333 times per year on average per physician, while Americans only have 1,538, which proves an excellent preventive care culture.
- Preventive Care Focus: Everyone urges everyone to go for annual checkups and vaccinations so people are encouraged to deal with any disease early enough; thus, healthier people
- Life Expectancy: Japanese people receive medical care at one of the best rates in the world and have the third-longest average lifespan of 84 years.
- Healthcare Spending: Hence, Japan only spent about 10.9 percent of its GDP on caring for its citizens’ health, which affirms its belief in providing quality health facilities for its people, more so in 2018.
Metric | Japan | United States | Germany |
Universal Coverage | ~100% | ~91% (with uninsured) | ~100% |
Government Coverage | 70% | Varies (subsidized plans) | ~90% |
Outpatient Visits per Physician | 5,333 | 1,538 | 3,500 |
Life Expectancy | 84 years | 78 years | 81 years |
Healthcare Spending (% of GDP) | 10.9% | 17.7% | 11.7% |
4. Exceptional Public Transportation
Transportation is an integral part of people’s lives and is at the highest level in Japan. Japan has one of the most efficient transport systems in the world, with fast trains and buses. It’s easy for anyone to get around.
Advantages of Japan’s Transportation
- Railway Dominance: Railways are the most dominant means of transport in Japan and cover about 70.3% of passenger transport in Japan. Fiscal 2020 witnessed 17.67 billion rail passengers and completed 263.21 billion passenger-kilometer services. (Statista, 2024)
- Shinkansen (Bullet Trains): The Shinkansen network, with a total length of approximately 2,387 kilometers, is celebrated for its punctuality, with delays often measured in seconds. Since its inception, this high-speed rail system has transported over 10 billion passengers, reaching impressive speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). (Public Transportation in Japan)
- Total Length of Roads: Japan has a dramatically good network of roads, with approximately 1,280,725 km of road transport and rail transport.
- Public Transport Usage: Data for fiscal year 2020 revealed that around 21.75 billion passengers were using domestic public transportation, emphasizing the heavy utilization of the public transport system by the people.
- International Airports: Some major international Japanese airports include two in Tokyo, Narita International Airport and Haneda International Airport. It is estimated that these two airports served millions of passengers before the emergence of the COVID-19 virus. For example, Haneda Airport is the twelfth biggest airport on an international level in terms of passenger traffic.
Comparison with Other Countries
Japan vs. China
- Japan: China’s current focus on metro expansion guarantees more extensive coverage of significant regions within cities. However, Japan has better integration with suburban areas and a considerable user experience. Japan’s regional rail networks are slightly developed compared to small towns in China.
- China: While China boasts more HSR route length than Japan’s Shinkansen, It lacks many of the rich connections to local transit systems present in Japan.
Japan vs. United States
- Japan: Compared to the U.S. transport system, major Japanese cities need better connections through subways or buses. Though such systems exist, the Japanese transport system provides better connectivity between urban areas without requiring cars.
- U.S.A.: U.S. domestic travel might be more developed due to larger distances between cities. However, this doesn’t change the fact that ground transit is less efficient compared to Japan’s infrastructure.
5. Rich Cultural Heritage and Modern Innovation
Japan is blessed with cultural tourism and, at the same time, with a touch of modern technology. Traditional tea ceremonies, temples, and ancient customs mix with futuristic cities and advanced robots. This mix of history and modernity creates a unique, dynamic way of life. This aspect makes Japan an exciting country to live in, more so because tradition and modernity mix.
Japanese Tradition and Modern World
Animated movies from Japan, such as manga and anime, and music, such as J-pop music, have gained international popularity to the extent that they dictate the kind of animation and other storytelling.
The eating culture of the Japanese people has spread widely to the global market through such foods as sushi and ramen.
Japan’s well-known and beautiful sports, such as judo, karate, and sumo wrestling, have not just gained international recognition but also shifted from the local level to the global stage, a testament to Japan’s sporting prowess.
6. Education and Learning Opportunities
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Japan’s World Class Education
Top Universities in Japan
| Rank | University Name | Global Rank |
| 1 | The University of Tokyo | 28th |
| 2 | Kyoto University | 44th |
| 3 | Osaka University | 65th |
| 4 | Tohoku University | 79th |
| 5 | Tokyo Institute of Technology | 86th |
7. Unique Lifestyle and High Standard of Living
Japan presents an ancient culture with rich traditions but a modern feel of the world with a touch of technology. Living conditions are perfect in the country—people enjoy good health care, public transport is effective, and most cities are clean and well-ordered. By combining these conditions, Japan becomes an ideal place for everyone looking for comfort, safety, and a unique life experience.
Overview of Japan’s Lifestyle and Living Conditions
- Life Expectancy: Japan has one of the highest life expectancies, on average 84 years, three years above the OECD average of 81. For women, it is 88 years. (Global Wellness Institute, 2024)
- Income: The net-adjusted gross average household income of the population in Japan is USD 28586 per annum, which is slightly below the average of other developed and member countries of the OECD, which is only USD 30490.
- Employment Rate: By analyzing the employment rates by the working age population (15–64), Japan has a figure of approximately 77%, while the OECD average is 66%. ( OECD,2024)
- Education: While more than seven out of ten adults in Japan have upper secondary education, Japanese students’ average PISA score is 520, higher than the OECD average score of 488.
- Housing Costs: According to the most recent numbers, expenditure for Japanese households on housing is 22% of their disposable income, and the comparable figure is 20% for the OECD average; costs in the urban locations are a tad higher.
8. Nature and Outdoor Activities
Regarding the looks on the outside, Japan has beautiful shores, shrubs, trees, and hills for campers and climbers.There are hundreds of thousands of opportunities to enjoy nature, no matter the season.
Outdoor activities and Experiences
- Hiking and Mountain Climbing: More than half of the adult population in Japan participate in hiking or mountain climbing, and as such, there is great interest in these activities. (Outdoor Activities in Japan, 2023)
- National Park Visitors: According to the data, as of 2022, Japan’s national parks have received about 270 09 000 visitors, showing that the public is interested in nature and exploring the outdoors. (Top 10 Outdoor Activities in Japan)
- Cycling Popularity: Cycling is frequently the most taken part in outdoor sporting activity, with many participating yearly. Participation figures were not solicited on the level of individual roads, namely, the Shimanami Kaido bicycle trail for many Japanese and foreign travelers.
Outdoor Business Market
The outdoor business market in Japan has been estimated at 527.46 billion JPY (about 4.8 billion USD) by 2020 and is expected to grow until 2026. This is a true indication of the economic value that outdoor recreation offers the Japanese economy.
9. Food Culture and Experience
As an island country, Japan has a rich food tradition that also offers diverse flavors and products.. The focus on presentation and the ability to use seasonal ingredients also pays attention to the guests of the restaurants who enjoy their food and, therefore, the number of visitors from all over the world.
Japan's Food Culture
- Diverse Cuisine: It serves countless dishes, such as sushi, ramen, tempura, katsu, presentation, and teppanyaki, as well as a range of regional cuisines.
- Seasonal Ingredients: Advocates for the preparations that use the ingredients in their natural, fresh state, especially during the seasons that they are available.
- Presentation: They focus more on making meals visually appealing.
- Culinary Traditions: Full of history and the emotions reflected in such a type of preparation of meals as has been historically delivered from one generation to another.
- Dining Etiquette: There are peculiar customs, including bowing before a meal, saying “Itadakimasu” before eating, and saying “Gochisousama” after the meal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Japan is an extraordinary country because it beautifully blends ancient cultural traditions with modern advancements. This unique combination makes Japan a fascinating place to live. Backed up by a highly developed system of healthcare and education, friendly people, remarkable flavor of living, delicious food, and generous welcome for foreigners, the country’s quality of living remains high both for residents and foreigners.
Furthermore, Japan has a stunning framework of natural beauty and modern cities that make life experiences unique. Harmony in everyday life is most important. Japan offers both natural beauty and intense cities. The opportunities it serves make people’s lives easier, making it an excellent place to live.