Yesterday I read a post by John about his experiences with Japanese bureaucracy. He's an OMF British missionary in Japan, married to a Japanese lady. They are trying to get a visa for his wife to go to Britain, and it's proving to be a challenge. So many hoops to jump through! But there have been some unexpected hoops provided by the Japanese government.
It is only after we came to Japan that we realised how much a privilege we enjoy in our home country. And, it seems, the freedom Australians enjoy in Australia isn't enjoyed by Japanese in Japan. Without even considering the need for a visa and passport to live in another country, and the importance of renewing those documents in a timely fashion, in Australia you have the freedom to live where ever you want without having to register with anyone.
Sure, you need to change your address with, it seems, seventy million organisations, but at least as in Australia you don't have to register with the local city hall or police. You don't have to change your car registration plates, or get permission to park your car if you more to a new locality! Anyway, John writes it much better than I can. Go and have a look here. And don't stop before you get to his last paragraph where he longs for Japan to move into the Internet age!
2 comments:
In Germany we also have to get registered in each new place we move to, get the addresses on our id cards and passports updated and if we move to another disrict we also have to get new number plates for our cars. I don't find it complicated, though. Except for the number plates it can all be done in one office at the town hall of the place one is moving to. It may be more complicated for non-EU foreigners, I'm not sure.
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