I have been working in Japan ?

[ph2004]

If one says "I have been working in Japan" does this always mean that one still works in Japan or could this also mean that one used to work there in the past but not anymore ?
I mean : is this a 100 % rule that one still works in Japan or not a 100 % rule ?

 

[theeexcellence]

I believe that such a construction mean that the subject is not doing that anymore which the verb refers to.

So "I have been working in Japan." means that now the speaker is somewhere else (working or not), not in Japan.

NOT A TEACHER

 

[tedtmc]

I believe that such a construction mean that the subject is not doing that anymore which the verb refers to.

So "I have been working in Japan." means that now the speaker is somewhere else (working or not), not in Japan.

NOT A TEACHER

No, 'have been working' (present perfect continuous tense) means one is still working. - the 'present' implies the action continues up to the present.

But if you use the past perfect continuous tense ( 'had been working'), then it means one is no longer working.

not a teacher

 

[theeexcellence]

No, 'have been working' (present perfect continuous tense) means one is still working. - the 'present' implies the action continues up to the present.

But if you use the past perfect continuous tense ( 'had been working'), then it means one is no longer working.

not a teacher

This will be the case when the sentence contains "since" or "for".
Examples:
I have been working in Japan since 1990. (and am still working)
I have been working in Japan for twenty years. (and am still working)
I have been working in Japan. (and no more work there now; implying that stopped working there in the recent past or just.)

NOT A TEACHER

 

[tedtmc]

Please read this:
Present Perfect Continuous Tense

 

[sarat_106]

This will be the case when the sentence contains "since" or "for".
Examples:
I have been working in Japan since 1990. (and am still working)
I have been working in Japan for twenty years. (and am still working)
I have been working in Japan. (and no more work there now; implying that stopped working there in the recent past or just.)

NOT A TEACHER

I agree with theeexcellence. The present perfect continuous without a time expression preceded by ‘for’ or ‘since’, refers to an unspecified time between 'before now' and 'now'. The speaker is describing an action that started in the past and may or may not be continuing at the time of speaking. Have look at the following,

The road is still wet. Has it been raining? Ans: Yes, it has just stopped.
How are you here now? Have you been still working in Japan? Ans: No, I have just left the service and would leave the place within a a couple of days.