I'm also from Montreal, and I moved to Tokyo last year.

I used to make 85k a year, with my girlfriend bringing around 15k a year. For a total of around 100k a year.

We spent a month budgeting, and we estimated and refused to move to Tokyo with a salary below 8.5mil yen, because it would not make sense. We would lose quality of life. Keep in mind, I don't have 3 kids, I don't need to save money for them.

If you make less than 9mil yen a year in Japan, with a wife and 3 kids to support. You will have a rough time as an immigrant. I don't see it possible. I'm precising immigrant here, because Japanese people simply have an easier time here, especially around rent cost.

Ignore others here challenging what you say, some will gladly accept to move to Japan living in a closet, sitting on top of each other, eating rice 3 times a day and commuting two hours a day, because simply put, they come from shitholes. You rent downtown for around 1650$ a month, so you will definitely get hit with a very bad reality check if you follow their advice.

If you move to Tokyo, with your wife, and 3 kids, and plan to save to save for retirement/your kids, with a salary of under 9mil, you will have a very tough life.

Enjoy the very small, cramped apartment, the long commutes, and the fact that you won't be able to save up. You also must make sure to learn how to cook, and get used to not enjoy visiting the new country you just moved in.

My current budget for an "equivalent" quality of life as Montreal, with a small dog coming soon, allowing me to travel once a year, and save up for retirement is on a yearly average around 467,000yen a month.