RetireJapan

So I shared with some Japanese relatives that I’m going to be retiring early. The usual “but what will you do for work..” comments. But then a brother in-law asked me if it was “FIRE?”
Clearly that word has fully entered the salaryman consciousness as I’ve often considered him very much the deep sea trench of the human experience. They must have used a pretty special light to reach him!
I suspect Mobile game advertisements and discussions on wide shows.

The irony of this is he had land gifted to him, only one kid, never drank and should be retired by now.

Anyone else noticing a shift in the local populace wrt awareness of early retirement as a possible goal?

Moneymatters wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 4:04 am
Anyone else noticing a shift in the local populace wrt awareness of early retirement as a possible goal?

I have seen a couple of TV shows where they mentioned it.
If you use one of the big Japanese brokers their email newsletters also cover FIRE now and then.
And I think I have seen it on the cover of one or two magazines at a bookstore as well.
So yes, definitely a bit higher awareness than a few years ago.

Always a decade behind the times.

FIDR is where it's at nowadays (FI don't retire).

adamu wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 5:07 am Always a decade behind the times.

FIDR is where it's at nowadays (FI don't retire).

I think Japan is fully onboard with the Don't Retire approach...
Father-in-laws last part time job was at 80+ as school yard monitor/Security!?...

There was a bit of a FIRE boom in Japan a couple of years ago (around when Atsugiri Jason put his first book out). Quite a bit of interest on the talk shows, etc.

(that one with the mole puppets had an episode featuring really weird FIRE people that ate grass from public parks, etc.)

But everyone seems to have moved on now.

beanhead wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 5:01 am

Moneymatters wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 4:04 am
Anyone else noticing a shift in the local populace wrt awareness of early retirement as a possible goal?

I have seen a couple of TV shows where they mentioned it.
If you use one of the big Japanese brokers their email newsletters also cover FIRE now and then.
And I think I have seen it on the cover of one or two magazines at a bookstore as well.
So yes, definitely a bit higher awareness than a few years ago.

Actually, I had noticed this as book advert on Tokyo subway trains quite a while ago...
In the fleeting moment from being glued to my phone and walking off the train.
(As I disentangle myself from full-time work I rarely visit the office nowadays.)

RetireJapan wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 7:51 am There was a bit of a FIRE boom in Japan a couple of years ago (around when Atsugiri Jason put his first book out). Quite a bit of interest on the talk shows, etc.

(that one with the mole puppets had an episode featuring really weird FIRE people that ate grass from public parks, etc.)

But everyone seems to have moved on now.

I noticed that a lot of the FIRE blogs also recommended emigrating abroad to places with lower cost of living too. There seems to be a school of thought whereby the Japanese government will lock down people’s bank accounts in the face of economic collapse or something.


If you search for “FIRE” c/w “海外移住” you get a quite a good selection of how to FIRE and escape abroad blogs.

Moneymatters wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 8:01 am
Actually, I had noticed this as book advert on Tokyo subway trains quite a while ago...

Yeah, as RJ wrote, there was a brief moment of 'popularity', for want of a better word. A few Japanese friends are aware of the concept, although they are also convinced that it is not possible for 'normal salarymen'.

beanhead wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 3:24 pm

Moneymatters wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 8:01 am
Actually, I had noticed this as book advert on Tokyo subway trains quite a while ago...

Yeah, as RJ wrote, there was a brief moment of 'popularity', for want of a better word. A few Japanese friends are aware of the concept, although they are also convinced that it is not possible for 'normal salarymen'.

Interesting. One relative was quick to chime in with “we Japanese don’t don’t do that.”* When I implied I might do nothing..
I wonder if some “it’s not the done thing” affecting their outlook. And just saying it’s not possible means they don’t need to explore it..

*This person has been a stay at home housewife for 24 years and actually lives alone as husband has been working away for decades now and son left for uni. She clearly has zero intention to rejoin the workforce so technically FIREd very early!!
My wry smile has rarely been wryer..

RetireJapan wrote: ↑Mon May 05, 2025 7:51 am There was a bit of a FIRE boom in Japan a couple of years ago (around when Atsugiri Jason put his first book out). Quite a bit of interest on the talk shows, etc.

(that one with the mole puppets had an episode featuring really weird FIRE people that ate grass from public parks, etc.)

But everyone seems to have moved on now.

Possibly inspired by a book about a homeless high schooler that ate grass that everyone “感動”ed about for five mins..
Which got me thinking about the cycle of fads here. My wife is a great proponent of fads. The house is festooned with things that are sure to fix sagging and posture. Bits of painful plastic to stand on in the kitchen and bathroom, odd shaped things to sit, lie and I assume roll-over upon.. Shiny metal rollers for more delicate skin, a corset fit for the Spanish Inquisition!
Then there’s all the cooking fads which means we’ll have a ‘themed week’ just to never see that kind of food again.. we’ve long since learnt to not get attached to anything delicious especially if it looks like it required great time and effort to prepare..