Author: Xiaochen Su

Alumni Voices

Alumni Voices: Kenny Song, Solving a Global Problem by Founding a Tech Startup in Japan

Kenny conducted research on adversarial machine learning and related topics at the University of Tokyo as a MEXT scholar after moving to Tokyo from San Francisco two years ago. He…

Alumni Voices

Volunteering at the Tokyo Olympics Games: a MEXT Alumni’s Experience

Even as the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games become history, the contributions of more than 70,000 volunteers who made day-to-day operations of the events happen should not be forgotten….

Alumni Voices Howto Resources

Getting Married and Having Kids in Japan: MEXT Scholars Speak!

Marriage and childbirth can be exciting but also stressful times. And the sense of anxiety is particularly palpable when they happen in a foreign country, amid an unfamiliar language and…

Howto Resources

Going in Cashless in Japan: a Starter’s Guide to Several Options

Despite a large number of banks and other financial services providers pushing people to use electronic payments, Japan remains very much a cash-centered society. As of the second quarter of…

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Three Ways to Travel Cheaply Within Japan

The days of intercity vacations, at least within Japan, appear to be back. The “Go To Travel” campaign, a voucher system under which the government subsidizes up to USD 90…

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Managing Your Money the Local Way: Introduction to Financial Investments in Japan

For foreigners looking to live and work in Japan in the long term, simply finding ways to save money on day-to-day life may not be sufficient to reach certain long-term…

Howto Resources

Three Ways to Save Money While Living in Japan

Big cities in Japan, where many foreigners study or work, can be some of the most expensive places to live in. Rough estimates show that, in central Tokyo, even tiny…

Howto Resources

Four Essential Items to Help You Survive a Japanese Winter

Japanese winters can be cold, brutally cold. Data from the Japan Meteorological Agency shows that in 2021, the coldest month of January saw the temperature in Tokyo dip to as…

Alumni Voices

Alumni Voices: Nondo-Jacob Sikazwe, Finding a Personal Niche by Connecting the Dots

Nondo graduated from Chiba University with a master’s degree in engineering under the MEXT Scholarship program. Currently, he is working at design consultancy A.C.O. Inc., where, as a user experience…