Here’s something I came across dated 4/20/09:
I have been teaching here in Tokyo for 32 years. I started at a high school, got a master’s in TESOL and now I’m a full professor and have been for many years. The Japanese encourage ex-businessmen and those with experience in other fields than education to become educators. The thing that worries educators here is the declining number of students. Many universities like mine are now recruiting students from other Asian countries and they are also opening universities to older students. I have a nice lady in one freshman class who is 69. I suggest that teachers who are seeking an overseas job try Vietnam. It is like Japan was 30 years ago: they desperately need foreign professionals (not volunteers, but people who are qualified in TESOL (Teaching English as a Second of Other Language.) Asian students are wonderful to teach; the Confucian background of the people stresses respect and good behavior. Students are eager and work hard to learn. This is true of almost every Asian country, but Vietnam is a great chance for educational explorers. Japan is full-up and salaries have declined, so it’s not a good choice—jobs are scarce.