"I Enjoyed Coffee and Walks, But..." 40s FIRE Member Returns to Office Job

Unable to Withstand Social Pressure, He Returns to Work
"Strong Belief in Japan That Adults Must Go to Work"

A Japanese man who accumulated financial assets worth 150 million yen (approximately 1.4 billion KRW) by the age of 45 and then declared his 'retirement' has decided to return to work after much deliberation. He could not withstand the pressure from Japanese society, which holds a negative view towards a 'breadwinner who does not work.'

On March 11 (local time), the Japanese financial magazine "The Gold" reported the story of a man in his 40s, referred to as Mr. A, who owns financial assets worth around 1.4 billion KRW. From the beginning of his career, Mr. A aspired to achieve economic freedom. By living a frugal life and investing diligently in financial assets such as stocks and trusts, he managed to accumulate a considerable fortune by his mid-40s.

Mr. A, who lives with his wife and two elementary school-aged children, became what is known as a "FIRE" (Financial Independence, Retire Early) individual, living off the income from his assets without having a regular job. However, recently, he has started working again as a company employee.

A Japanese man who accumulated financial assets worth 150 million yen (approximately 1.4 billion KRW) by the age of 45 and then declared his 'retirement' has decided to return to work after much deliberation. Getty Images

In an interview with the magazine, Mr. A said, "I have never liked being a company employee," adding, "After my early retirement, I initially felt a real sense of freedom. I enjoyed walking freely and drinking coffee, fully experiencing that freedom. However, living that way was not as easy as it seemed."

The biggest problem was the social gaze. When he went shopping at the supermarket on a weekday afternoon wearing a T-shirt, neighbors would stare at him with suspicion. His child even asked, "Why doesn't Dad go to work?" Each time, Mr. A would make excuses, saying he was self-employed, but as time went by, the stress began to accumulate.

Mr. A decided to work part-time at a café near his home. However, this time, his wife stopped him, saying, "You might run into other parents from the neighborhood, so go farther away."

Japanese office workers walking on the streets of Tokyo. Photo by AP

In the end, Mr. A got a clerical job at a regular company again. He said, "Being a company employee is unexpectedly convenient. When I told my parents I was working again, they were relieved."

The magazine explained, "In Japan, the belief that 'adults must go to work at a company' is still deeply rooted. As long as you live in Japan, even if you have enough assets to live on, you will be forced into a social role."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.