Amazing, someone who actually does care about an actual increased risk, rather than something picked up from manga and the like
(It's still pretty damned low on the probability scale, I'd guess you're more likely to have your plane crash on the way there. And the chances of that happening aren't exactly huge.)

And on that note, I was going to recommend a visit to this disaster training centre that the Tokyo Fire Department has, it was really interesting. They have somewhat realistic simulators for earthquakes and typhoons, at least (I didn't try anything else). But now I can't for the life of me find a link to the place.

Perhaps you mean the Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center?
Heres some info in english (click).
I never visited it so I can't comment.
It's been years since I've been to Japan and I wasn't alone, but I felt very safe while I was there.
Not much more I can add, so I'll just wish you good luck finding work out there.=)

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I love the Japanese. 'Safety Learning Centre', indeed...! Clearly, I have nothing to fear in such a country.

@pnyxtr & aagcnet, I live on the Pacific Rim of Fire, so maybe it is ridiculous for me to worry about safety (criminal or natural) in Japan...! I'm more likely to get caught in a tsunami, earthquake, volcano or related geological disaster than I am to get mugged in Japan. Seriously.

you will can almost never ever fear about getting stabbed... or shot walking the streets at 2am in the morning

as far as i know just watch out for swindlers

As a western female currently living in Tokyo I thought I would add my two cents to this thread.

First of all Japan is safe! I have walked back home to my brother's house after catching a last train which didn't take me all the way back to the right station. So I walked it for two hours from something to one to something to three in the monring, all on my own and never once felt worried or unsafe. Most of the walk was on a big road, but, I often had to take diversions using small badly lit roads.

Taxis are also veeery safe they are just also a lot more costly.

Staying out late isn't really an issue here at all, whether you choose to take the last train home or the first train the next day you'll be fine.

Yes, touching on trains and sexual assault is much more commone here than we are used to but even then the chances of you being a victim of it are slim. There are also female only train carriages, but, again I would highlight this will probably not happen to you. Most Japanese men who do this are intimidated by western women. The girls they tend to prey on have the Japanese attitude of bearing with it and not making a scene, a westerner on the other hand...

Another tip, learn to drink! It'll help you socially and at work too.

What type of visa do you plan on getting? If you need visa sponsorship it'll be a lot harder for you to get work! If you can get something like a working holiday visa beforehand you should be okay. If you do need a visa I would suggest looking at a big company or a school in a more remote area of Japan. Keep in mind that in Japan once you get the visa you own it, so if you haaaate where you are you could always quit and find work elsehwere.

Japanese men tend to be a little bit intimidated by foreign women as we tend to be more outspoken and stronger than Japanese female. You will also have people who like you but are too shy to say a thing, I currently have 5 students ranging from their mid 20s to the 50s who I know would like to ask me out but instead they just continue to book private lessons as they are too shy. This is common. There will be exceptions though so don't worry, I've been on plenty of dates since I've been here with Japanese guys and foreigners.

Just be prepared for the fact that not everybody here likes manga or anime and some people are actually quite ashamed of that part of Japanese culture (the otaku subculture that is). Also, there is lots here which is efficient and a lot which willpuzzle you and at times piss you off. Oh and when it comes to equality of the sex Japan is where the west was like 50 years ago!

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I wouldn't say it's ridiculous, worries are real for the person worrying, at least. That's why I used the natural disaster thing to bring up probabilities. As a gaijin woman in Japan, I think the probability of something untowards happening to you is pretty damned low. And usually much lower than at home. Hardly nonexistent, of course, so don't just leave your brain when you go through customs. But it really is very unlikely.

And, to go back to your concerns about any romantic possibilities, in that first post, I'd be much more worried about the guy who hits on you completely sober than the salaryman who only dares to after a couple of beers. (That doesn't really just apply to our nippon friends, of course, but they are a little more concerned about making asses of themselves than most, so anyone who's not at least a little nervous in dealing with a gaijin is fairly suspect in my book.)

Hmm, it's weird. Now I feel almost guilty after a tsunami actually did hit. Even though I was merely stating the obvious.

The World sure has a way of sidestepping your expectations.