"Surviving on One Meal a Day to Invest 3.5 Million Won Monthly... 'FIRE' Craze Sparks 'NISA Poverty' in Japan"

"More Young People Anxious About the Future Amid Rising Prices"

"Warning: Investing Always Involves Risks"

In Japan, the expansion of the small-sum investment tax exemption system (NISA) and rising stock prices have fueled an investment craze, especially among young people. While the number of "FIRE" adherents—those accumulating assets to achieve early retirement—is increasing, some warn of side effects such as the extreme reduction of living expenses in order to focus exclusively on investing.

Saving 50 Million Yen through Investing for Early Retirement..."Satisfied with Time Spent with Daughter"

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According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on September 4, cases of young people achieving an affluent lifestyle by leaving their jobs early thanks to successful investing are drawing significant attention. A couple in their 30s from Chiba Prefecture saved 50 million yen (about 440 million won) through stocks and other investments and then quit their jobs at a major corporation in June 2021, after working there for six years. Since then, they have enjoyed leisurely weekdays pursuing hobbies such as table tennis and cafe-hopping, as well as supporting their second-grade daughter in her school life, allowing them to lead a relaxed daily routine.

However, they said that after leaving their jobs, opportunities to socialize diminished, leading to feelings of loneliness. To address this, they formed a club with others in similar situations to enjoy hiking and other activities together. In addition, to hedge against potential investment losses, they produce video content that earns them hundreds of thousands of yen each month. The husband commented, "I'm still working in the form of a personal business, but compared to when I worked at a company, I have a totally different amount of free time." He added, "Being able to watch my daughter grow up up close every day is something I would not trade for anything."

The surge in investment enthusiasm has been attributed to the 2024 introduction of the "New NISA," which expanded tax-exempt benefits. As of the end of 2025, cumulative NISA purchases reached 71 trillion yen, double the amount in 2023. In particular, the participation of younger generations stood out: 26% of people in their 20s and 38% of those in their 30s held NISA accounts. Investment amounts also soared, with those in their 20s more than tripling their 2023 investment, and those in their 30s nearly quadrupling the previous year's figure.

At one investment academy in Tokyo, the ratio of female students has risen dramatically. Whereas male students made up 90% in 2014, women now account for 60%. An academy representative remarked, "Regardless of gender, the steady increase in prices has made younger generations acutely aware of anxiety about the future."

Investing 400,000 Yen Per Month and One Meal a Day...Concerns Over 'NISA Poverty'

On the other hand, stories of people struggling in daily life due to excessive investing are also emerging. A 32-year-old office worker in Tokyo invests nearly 400,000 yen per month (about 3.46 million won) and limits himself to only one meal a day while keeping monthly living expenses to less than 50,000 yen (about 430,000 won). He explained, "In an era of inflation, even if you save, the value of your assets inevitably decreases. I want to endure this period and focus on investing intensively so that once I have built up my assets, I can spend money on leisure activities such as travel."

Commenting on this phenomenon, a former Bank of Japan expert warned, "Many have experienced only the success of recent years' stock market rise, but investment always carries risk."

Meanwhile, fraudulent investment schemes proliferating on social media are exploiting the investment boom. Scammers encourage people to invest with promises like "You are guaranteed to make money," and then steal their money. The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan cautioned, "If you are solicited for investment on social media, be suspicious first and refrain from remitting funds too easily."

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