RetireJapan

Regarding #6 (investment property), do you have any information about purchasing "fractional ownership properties" like the kind offered by a firm called Aoyama Zaisan (Advantage Club)? Would that type of investment qualify as a viable, low-tax rate (or no tax burden) way to pass along fin...

While it appears as though Kishida has already received many "suggestions" to tone down his rhetoric related to plans to raise taxes on financial income (e.g., gains on stock transfers and dividends), what have you heard about by just how much this tax may increase? There was an article in...

It is always good to have a candid exchange of ideas and opinions regarding any potential strategy. That said, I agree with the authors of several of the comments in this thread that an annuity would not be a good choice for me. I can, however, appreciate the peace of mind that it can provide to som...

See chapter 10 - "Fixed Annuities" in the Stanford University on-line book for some general information.

https://web.stanford.edu/~wfsharpe/RISMAT/RISMAT-10.pdf

As a reasonably satisfied account holder since earlier this summer, I agree that (1) the initial registration process was complicated by my middle name and (2) it took a week or so to gain approval for opening the equivalent of a "sub-account" for foreign currency. That said, with patience...

@Established -- Thanks for your advice. Yes, it seems like the onus would be on me to review the company's annual report to confirm whether either of the following criteria apply: At least 75% of the corporation's gross income is "passive"—that is, derived investments or other sources not ...

As a fellow American citizen living in Japan who owns Japanese stocks, I am also weary of purchasing shares of a company that may be considered to be a passive foreign investment company (PFIC). I have received advice from both my U.S. based financial planner and U.S. tax advisor to avoid purchasing...

My pleasure.

While these resources are definitely written from the perspective of an American, most of the advice can be adapted to retiring in Japan.

New York Times columnist Peter Coy just published an interesting article entitled "How to Enjoy Retirement Without Going Broke." The sub-title is "the problem of decumulation is a tricky one, even for Nobel Prize-winning economists." It may be of particular interest interest for ...

Many of the places that have been suggested to date sound good. A couple of years ago my wife and I decided to settle in Oita down in Kyushu, and we love it. Oita has warm people, a beautiful shore by the Inland Sea, mountains, lush countryside, a relatively low cost of living, and lots and lots of ...