After living in Australia for three and a half years, I ended that chapter of my life and returned to Japan.
This time, I’d like to write about why I made that decision.
First, I want to say that Australia is truly a wonderful country.
It is safe, incomes are high, and people enjoy a good work–life balance.
It’s easy to understand why many people who come on working holidays or student visas eventually consider applying for permanent residency.
That’s exactly why, when I told people I had decided to return to Japan, many asked me the same question.
Why?
Japan is often seen as a country with lower salaries and long working hours.
Work–life balance can also be difficult.
So why return to Japan?
In this article, I’d like to explain the three reasons behind my decision.
Reason 1: Concerns About the Long-Term Economic Structure
The first reason was related to concerns about the economic structure.
Australia relies heavily on resource industries for the money it earns from overseas.
For example, exports of natural resources such as iron ore, coal, and natural gas are major pillars of the Australian economy.
Iron ore alone accounts for roughly 20 percent of Australia’s exports and is one of the country’s most significant industries.
Resource-related exports make up a large portion of Australia’s trade income, and this resource economy helps support the country’s high wages and strong standard of living.
Of course, this is also one of Australia’s greatest strengths.
However, when thinking about living there in the long term, it raised some concerns for me.
What would happen if the global energy structure changed dramatically?
What if alternative resources became dominant?
When a country is strong in a particular industry, it also means it is more exposed to changes affecting that industry.
In the short term—over five or ten years—this may not become a major issue.
But when thinking about life over twenty or thirty years, the economic structure made me pause and think.
In addition, obtaining permanent residency requires significant time and cost.
It can take several years, and sometimes people must work in occupations facing labor shortages.
Considering that investment of time and energy, I began to question whether it was truly the best path for my life.
Reason 2: Knowing My Own Weaknesses
The second reason relates to my own personality.
At heart, I want to live a disciplined life.
But at the same time, I know that if I’m not careful, I tend to drift toward the easier path.
Because of that, I understand my own weaknesses quite well.
Australia is, in a good way, a very relaxed society.
Many people place a strong emphasis on enjoying life.
I think that is a wonderful cultural value.
However, because I had been accustomed to Japanese work culture, there were many moments when I wondered whether it was really okay to take things this easily.
I also often felt that the standards for service and work quality were different from those in Japan.
Things like detailed attention, continuous improvement, and small refinements—which are expected in Japan—are sometimes less emphasized.
This is not about one being better than the other.
It is simply a difference in social values.
Countries that grew by exporting resources and countries that grew by importing resources and focusing on manufacturing tend to develop different work cultures.
Neither approach is inherently right or wrong.
But for me, the environment in Australia felt a little too comfortable.
Reason 3: Discovering Japan’s Strengths by Going Abroad
There was also another important realization.
It was only after living overseas that I truly understood Japan’s strengths.
The diligence of Japanese people.
A culture that values teamwork.
Craftsmanship that pays attention to even the smallest details.
Things that seemed normal in Japan are actually quite rare when viewed from a global perspective.
That is one reason why Japanese products and services are known for their high quality.
As a Japanese person, I feel proud of that.
At the same time, however, many people in Japan work extremely hard yet do not always receive the financial rewards they deserve.
I began to wonder what might happen if Japan’s excellent products and services reached a wider global audience.
Perhaps the people working in Japan would be more fairly recognized and rewarded.
That thought stayed with me.
So I decided to return to Japan and pursue work that helps bring Japanese products and services to the world.
As a first step toward that goal, I began working as a freelance marketer.
In Closing
Those are the reasons why I decided to leave Australia after three and a half years.
Reading this article alone might make my decision sound somewhat negative, but that is not my intention.
In fact, I am deeply grateful for the time I spent in Australia.
Australians have a clear understanding of what truly matters in life.
They value family and friends.
They know how to enjoy life.
These values impressed me many times during my stay.
Because of that, I was able to meet many wonderful people, and those relationships are treasures I will always carry with me.
Even so, I ultimately decided to leave Australia and return to Japan.
Now that I am back in Japan, I wrote this article so I wouldn’t forget the feelings that led to that decision.
By the way, since returning to Japan, I’ve been documenting my daily life through short YouTube vlog and Instagram Reel.
As part of my self-management, I record both the days that go well and the days that don’t.
If you’re interested, feel free to check them out.
