Japan is a very beautiful country to live. It has good culture and environment. The only problem I have been facing in Japan is because of the difficulty in understanding Japanese language. When I first came to Japan my Japanese was not good enough to read all those kanjis. So, while I was making contract for getting a new apartment I could not read all the sentences written on the paper. Getting an apartment as a foreigner is difficult in Japan and I had gone to a private company that searches for apartments. I needed to deposit a huge amount of money to get the apartment. So, I asked them if I would I get that money back when I leave the apartment. They replied that I would get the deposit money back if I take good care of my apartment without damaging any apartment properties. I was happy to know that because I always take good care of the place I live. But later when I wanted to change the apartment and asked for the deposit money they told me that they can’t return that money to me. I was baffled and argued that they had told me that I would get the deposit money back if I didn’t damage any property. However, they showed me the contract paper and told me that in the contract paper, it is written that deposit money wouldn’t be refunded in any case. I felt cheated and betrayed. I suggest all my friends to show the contract paper to a Japanese acquaintance and know every point in detail before signing it. Please do not rely on spoken agreement alone, make sure the spoken agreement is actually written down on paper. I later realized that the university co-op also helps students to search apartments, which of course is the most reliable and dependable source. So, if possible, I suggest my foreign friends to get the apartment through the university co-op.
Bishal Gyawali,
Nagoya University,
Country: Nepal