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Retire In Japan: It Ain’t Easy, Unless You’re Very Special

Editor’s note: “Retire in Japan” is part of an ongoing series on retiring abroad. To see all the articles in the series, jump to the end.

Japan, with the world’s fourth-largest GDP after the U.S., China, and Germany (though if California were a country, it would beat out Japan for the No. 4 spot), is a highly developed nation with ultra-modern cities and excellent infrastructure. More than 60,000 U.S. expats live in Japan as of 2024, which represents nearly 2% of the country’s expat population. Japan appeals to retirees due to its relative affordability, as well as the world’s best sushi and fine dining restaurants.

In addition, “Japan is renowned for being a safe country and the reputation is well-founded and well-earned,” says Martin D. King, a U.S.-registered financial planner working in Tokyo. King is one of the founders and managing partners of Tyton Capital Advisors, an 11-year-old company based in Tokyo, specializing in internationally focused financial planning, investment, and insurance.

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(Image credit: Drew Limsky)

If Japan seems an unlikely place to retire given its geographical distance from the U.S., the country’s modern cultural and commercial ties are close. Vast numbers of American professionals have enjoyed careers in the States, Asia, and Europe working for Japanese corporations that are household names, with Toyota topping the list (by far), followed by such entities as Mitsubishi, Sony, and Nintendo. Compared to other U.S. citizens, these professionals would find it easiest and most natural to make the leap to relocating to Japan.


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