Rashid Hill, MPM ⋅ San Diego, CA United States Navy ⋅ 33 years experience

Hi Eric. You most likely have gotten a load of great suggestions so be sure and implement what you have gotten already. The only thing I can add is that you find the American companies, military contractors that have operations OCONUS in the area that you want to work. If is only Japan or if you are willing to relocate. You must be flexible in where you want to work and find learning opportunities to increase your value to the organization that you want to work for.
One thing that I focused on was personal development in my own time and what the govt didn't pay for I took it upon myself to increase my knowledge in the area that I knew would help me in the future. Now I have numerous certifications because I didn't wait and just apply for positions. I learned by networking, increasing my value and understanding the power of a career coach. So find free courses that are offered about networking, communication, MS Office, and so many more that you can add to your CV to give you a broader chance at getting that interview.
If you are focused on getting a US civil service job in your field you might find it an above average challenge these days. There are numerous reasons why I say that... yet, I've helped people navigate the rough waters of the process to get that offer. It's not easy and no guarantee yet, there are ways to get a better than average chance of getting an offer.

Let me hear from you if I can help.

Rashid Hill

Ron Abrahamson ⋅ Maywood, NJ UPS ⋅ 18 years experience

Great advice from Rashid and Tom. Focus on what companies are looking for network, train and practice the soft-skill items that will raise you above other job seekers. I lived in Japan as well. Love the country and wish you luck. Atsugi and Yokota Airbases should have some fairly regular openings if looking to stick with aviation. Just stick with it and you'll find good employment following the advice given above.

Judy Tomlinson ⋅ Dallas, TX Energy Future Holdings ⋅ 25 years experience

I can tell you from experience that, because of the European Union, companies MUST hire people from EU member countries before anyone else. Your best bet is with an American Company that has locations abroad....but even US companies have to hire EU members.

Ed Haugh ⋅ Westminster, MD U.S. Air Force, Master Sergeant ⋅ 20 years served

Eric, have you checked into Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, etc. There is an ongoing need for technicians on foreign soil that are U.S. citizens and can get a clearance. I assume you would already carry a DOD Secret. Going from Avionics into Information Technology is not a big jump. A lot of similarities and the need for resources in Japan that are US citizens is great. Check into you standard military contractors and US government positions there.

Tom Cal, CFA ⋅ San Francisco, CA Army Veteran, Investment Manager ⋅ 25 years experience

* Request a mentor from ACP. ACP may be able to match you with a mentor in Japan.
http://acp-usa.org/Mentoring_Program

* Utilize LinkedIn. LinkedIn has over 1.3 million U.S. Veterans on its network, and each of those Veterans likely has 100 or more "connections" on LinkedIn and elsewhere who can potentially serve as advisors and mentors.

Join LinkedIn, and join LinkedIn groups such as the Veteran Mentor Network. Utilize LinkedIn's free advanced people search tool.

Add the URL for your LinkedIn profile to your acp-advisornet profile.

Veteran Mentor Network group has 28 members located in Japan.
http://www.linkedin.com/vsearch/p?openAdvancedForm=true&locationType=I&countryCode=jp&f_FG=4466143&rsid=337841291386518638387&orig=FCTD#!

Reach out to several to these 28 members, introduce yourself, and request informational interviews, advice and networking assistance. Some may be willing to meet for tea or coffee.

Here are two questions and practical exercises. If you can share more information with us, we can more effectively help you.

* Here is a practical exercise I challenge you to complete. Craft a typed "career networking plan" or checklist. How will you reach out to people you already know? How will you meet new people. I can provide a plan, but I think it is more constructive for you to read up on this topic, and for you to start the plan and then share your plan with us.

see:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=career+networking+plan#!
https://www.google.com/search?q=career+networking+plan#!

Two tips to include in your plan or checklist:
1) join local chapters of Toastmasters.org
2) find local chapters of other professional organizations you can join, such as pmi.org, apics.org, ism.ws, etc.

* In order to maximize the efficacy and relevance of you plan or checklist, clearly state exactly what it is you want to accomplish.
What are your career goals - immediate, 5 year, 35 years?
What sorts of jobs are you seeking?
Beyond the broad topic of " Aviation mechanics", what are your skills and interests?

e.g. Finance? Accounting? Human Resources? Operations? Project Management? Logistics? Supply Chain?

* Post a similar discussion on Veteran Mentor Network and see if anyone responds.