Japan #

Content timeliness and accuracy remain to be seen

Written by a contributor who is not a long-time resident of Japan, please find out more information from more sources.

Japanese society is built on a household registration structure, and thus transgenders who want to be recognized by society need to be able to have the conditions to obtain a wife/husband, i.e., they need to pass the external appearance, etc., in order to change their documents; and from a cultural perspective, they need to have the will to marry and have children. In addition, the overall social pressure in East Asia is relatively high, the whole social construction is also relatively traditional, and society on same-sex marriage attitudes vary widely.

Transgender-related Resources #

MtF情報発信サイト (in Japanese)

MtF.wiki Japan (in Japanese)

Information Navigation in Japan - 2345.lgbt

Provided by Speak Duck Talk, you can click the link for more information. When choosing a school, you can refer to the location of the hospital for further screening.

Social Acceptance Level #

This article was contributed by an anonymous user and may have regional and temporal issues. Feel free to raise any issues or express your own opinions regarding its content.

• Insurance and a driver’s license can be changed by providing medical proof (but the registered gender will also be noted), however, both cannot be changed on a residence permit.
• Obtaining proof is relatively easy, and even without medical proof, one can go to a hospital to receive regular HRT/GAHT treatment.
• There is a higher degree of tolerance for clothing styles, but aesthetic standards are still required. However, tolerance decreases significantly in the workplace.
• There may be middle-aged individuals who intentionally cause harm.
• Even hospitals not affiliated with GID organizations can issue proof, which can still be used normally. They can also provide prescriptions for psychiatric medications and introduction letters for gender confirmation surgery in Thailand.
• Proof obtained through diagnosis often includes bilingual labeling in Japanese and English. The fastest possible turnaround time for obtaining proof is one day, and it may be easier with proof from a Chinese hospital. However, be prepared for the requirement of 2-3 follow-up visits.
• If a doctor affiliated with a GID organization is needed, one can go to a large hospital, but the waiting period for an appointment is longer, typically 2-3 months and multiple diagnoses are required. However, HRT/GAHT can be obtained there, and the price is relatively cheaper.
• Without proof, injections can be received at Garden Hospital for 2,200 yen per shot, but after obtaining proof, one can go to other clinics. However, pre-surgery HRT/GAHT is generally not covered by insurance in Japan, so the initial costs are higher. After obtaining proof, the price ranges from 1,200 to 1,300 yen per shot, but the price may vary significantly depending on the region and hospital.
• In Japan, there are many unisex restrooms, and it is a personal choice to use the gender-neutral or women’s restroom. However, please try to act naturally and avoid showing fear or curiosity. Additionally, some accessible restrooms may be gender-segregated and typically placed in the women’s restroom.
• If it is necessary to come out and explain the situation to a teacher, it is recommended to prioritize finding Japanese teachers who appear friendly. Chinese young female teachers are the next recommended option, as Chinese male teachers generally have difficulty understanding.
• In terms of physical appearance, height is a concern in Japan—anything below 176 cm is generally fine. Slightly changing one’s appearance, hairstyle, and voice can also be part of the Real-Life Experience (RLE).
• Daily social interactions in Japan often have a sense of distance, and the language used is gender-neutral. Privacy protection in classes is also good, allowing for maintaining a gender-ambiguous status. However, it may be necessary to be cautious of some “curious” Chinese classmates/teachers.
• When choosing a language school, try to avoid those managed by Chinese individuals who focus on further education, as they may have strict management similar to Chinese high schools. It is preferable to choose a mostly normal school, typically with 30-40% non-Chinese Japanese students and managed by Japanese individuals. These schools are generally more international and better suited. Avoid Chinese males as much as possible.

Naturalization #

Permanent residence in Japan is harder than naturalization, so I’ll just talk about naturalization below. The fastest time should be five years, and after you finish studying, you can find a job and convert your student visa to a work visa.

However, the language requirement for Japanese work is often not low, so it is recommended to improve Japanese as much as possible. If you are a graduate student (seminarian), the possibility of finding a job also has certain possibility, a better university can improve the probability, and computer, and information majors can also improve the probability, but it is not recommended that majors such as literature, history and philosophy bet on this probability, unless the Japanese language is very proficient.

Remember to apply for a master’s degree to match your undergraduate degree, cross-disciplinary majors are easy to reject. Because now the Japanese industry also needs more talents.

In addition, if you want to study in a language school, remember not to be absent from school. If you perform well and pass the language score, both work and study will be much easier.