|
Living in Japan |
Contents:
1.Currency and cost of living
2. Cost of study
3. Living expenses
4. Accommodation
5. Guarantor
6. Part-time Work
7. Expenses for medical treatment |
 |
| 4.
Accommodation |
|
| The
national government, local governments and universities run residences
for international students, but since these accommodations are limited,
few international students are able to benefit from them. About
73% of international students live in private accommodation. The
housing situation in Japan is not very good, and it is very difficult
to find accommodation, especially in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
When looking for private accommodation, one can inquire at a real
estate agency in the chosen area as well as at school offices. Those
with the status of residence of "college student" may
seek accommodation through the Center for Domestic and Foreign Students. |
 |
According
to the Center for Domestic and Foreign Students, monthly rent of
accommodations is as follows. However, the accommodations handled
by real estate agencies tend to be higher than this.Monthly rent
for an apartment in Tokyo:
| Monthly
rent for an apartment in Tokyo: |
| |
a) |
6-tatami-mat
(9.6-square meter) room (shared toilet):
less than ¥40,000 |
| |
b) |
6-tatami-mat
room with cooking facilities and toilet:
about ¥40,000 |
| |
c) |
6-tatami-mat
room with cooking facilities, toilet and bath:
about ¥60,000 |
| |
d) |
6-tatami-mat
room with cooking facilities, toilet, bath and air-conditioning:
about ¥66,000 |
Condominiums built of reinforced concrete are usually more expensive
than an apartment. Outside the Tokyo metropolitan area rents tend
to be lower, except in large cities.
Upon signing a contract to rent an apartment, Japanese
customary practice requires the tenant to pay not only the rent
but non-refundable key money equivalent to one to six months' rent,
called "rei-kin" (kenri-kin) in Japanese (payable to the
landlord, amount differs in each district). The landlord keeps a
returnable deposit equivalent to one to two months' rent called
"shiki-kin" (hosho-kin) in Japanese, as security in case
the tenant should fail to pay the rent of the room. Part of shiki-kin
will be paid back to the tenant when leaving the room. In addition,
the tenant should pay a commission equivalent to one month rent
to the realty dealer. The system of shiki-kin and rei-kin differs
according to the district.
The Center for Domestic and Foreign Students publishes
"Ryugakusei no tame no Shukusha Annai (Housing and Dormitories
for Students from Abroad)", and operates the 12 nationwide
Student Housing Guidance Offices (Refer to Chapter 15) providing
regional accommodation information. You can check the levels of
shiki-kin and rei-kin at each district on the center's web site
(http://www.naigai.or.jp).
* International students housing general compensation system
This system is operated by the Center for Domestic and
Foreign Students, and aims to provide for emergencies like fires
and to avoid troubling the guarantor concerning moving in. There
are two plans according to the compensation periods: the one-year
plan (¥7,500 for insurance premium and other share of costs)
and the two-year plan (¥14,000 for share of costs.)
This compensation system is available to those who have
entered (with the status of residence of "college student")
or are sure to enter a university / junior college / college of
technology / specialized training college's postsecondary course
(senmon gakkou) in Japan; or those who have entered (with the status
of residence of "college student" or "pre-college
student") or are sure to enter a Japanese-language institute
that is a sustaining member of the Association for the Promotion
of Japanese Language Education (361 institutes as of March 3, 2003.)
You can sign up at your institute, but you cannot apply
if that institute is not a member of this system. For further information,
inquire to the Center for Domestic and Foreign Students, or the
institute at which you are enrolled or are going to enroll. You
can check the institutes that are members of this system at the
center's web site (http://www.naigai.or.jp/insurance/ryudata/Anshin2.htm). |
|
