The hidden reason for my exchange

Students go on international exchanges for various reasons and I have a few myself.
One is to experience the exotic (adjective
originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country). Where everything is somehow different to your own place. It is stimulating to many senses and nourishes our imagination.
Another reason is my inner feeling of Fernweh (From fern (“far”) +‎ Weh (“pain”). Can be literally translated as farsickness or longing for far-off places, as contrasted with Heimweh(“homesickness, longing for home”). I have always "suffered" from this condition. It is not the same as "the grass is always greener on the other side", as here the feeling is an illusion. However, for Fernweh there is real satisfaction once you get there.
Of course, I have also concrete reasons why I am going to Japan instead of,.. let say Denmark or even Korea. I love Japan. I have been there once before (20 years ago) and fell in love with the people. Japanese people are considered, think in terms of community, love nature, care for their surroundings, are not aggressive and make/eat very yummy food! Do need to say more?
Last year when the uni email came around asking students, who wants to go on exchange to Japan I ignored it! For the simple reason that I thought everybody will just jump at this, I have no change at all. When the second email made the rounds in December last year urging people to apply, I couldn't resist, still thinking of course I won't get it. After I got the "you have be selected.." I still made up excuses telling UOW that I am too old. But they just kept saying "it's fine, just go ahead".
Back to my reason I am writing this. Drumroll, because once I tell you my hidden reason for wanting to go it won't be hidden anymore: I want to loose weight. 5 kg to be precise. I know I can do it there, since I will be walking much more, not driving anywhere and I will eat smaller portions, as it is the Japanese way. Even though Japanese food taste great, I will not have enough money to go out all the time, etc.
The last reason I will mention here is, that I want to see the concept of KAIZEN in action. In short KAIZEN means continuous improvement. Through the BCL (business, culture, language)  program I am taking at Senshu University I will have the opportunity to study companies which are practicing KAIZEN. With my critical head thinking on I always wonder, will lead 'continuous improvement' through the workers of a company to the eradication of their jobs?
Anyway I'll tell you more later once I am more knowledgeable.

Earthquake threat

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005976944

Okay this is going to be interesting. Japan  considers the possibility of an earthquake hitting Tokyo in the next 30 years with 70%, and is practicing rescue drills for a scenarios of a 7.3 magnitude. How does that make me feel? This is one of those things where you think: " this is not gonna happen while I am there". Furthermore, Japan was rated again the safest city in the world by The Economist, not only because of low crime rates, but also because of its proactive approach to dealing with natural disasters.
To me the political developments are much more disturbing: the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. Just this weekend protesters blocked roads to and from the international airport. I don't want to voice my own political views here, but I now wish I hadn't booked my flights via the Hong Kong route.
Furthermore, the declining relationship to South Korea is a worry.

But then again I'll be in Japan for only 3 month, no earthquake will happen but instead I will meet many lovely open minded young people from many nations including Korea, Hong Kong and China, and I am so happy to be part of it.