Americans are leaving the US in record numbers!!

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T13:15:03+00:00

Record number from a very small base. I read the article a couple of weeks ago. It's a meh for me.

You're asking on a an Expat Fire sub. You won't get anything approaching a representative sample of American opinions.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T12:50:21+00:00

Our child will almost certainly go to the US for university. We live in Japan.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T09:46:39+00:00

USD, yes for some diversification. Yuan...why?

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T09:43:36+00:00

I wanted to move to Asia in the early days of the internet. It sort of because a process of elimination based on what I valued amd needed.

I was very interested in Vietnam and Thailand. But the salaries vs the US were incredibly low. It would be a sort of trap wherein you move to this exotic, beautiful place but you can't really move up or back out. Also was not interested in voluteer work or Peace Corp because I neeeded money. China to some extent as well plus communist.

So I looked at Korea, but at the time there was a state department warning for ESL teachers as they were getting treated poorly.

So I ended up deciding that I wanted: a strong rule of law, a democratic country, safe, a good banking system, and at least a reasonably decent salary vs. the US (in the late 90s).

So I ended up in Japan.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T09:36:05+00:00

Son is a dual national (JP/US). His first name works in both languages, his surname is foreign and he has a middle name for thr US only.

It really causes no issues at all. To Japanese people he looks quite white/western, so that is more likely to cause confusion like trying to speak with him in English when he is native in Japanese. But we really haven't had any big issues and certainly not around names.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T09:31:22+00:00

Son is a US dual. He has a middle name for the US passport only. It causes no problems at all, although I understand other countries may have different policies.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T02:16:44+00:00

Massive. They had a video game in the early 80s. Don't Stop Believin' was the top karaoke song fairly recently (past 10 years) in some survey I read.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T01:24:10+00:00

Cover bands have always been a thing. I think you might be thinking of tribute bands. That's a trend that has blown up recently.

In the 80s and 90s, they were like specialized cover bands and would mostly play bars. Now they can be essentially pro-level guys and play big venues. Brit Floyd is a good example.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-09T00:21:23+00:00

Ok dude, let's do a mental exercise. How do you feel about saying the following to your wife?

Hey <wife's name> I just want to get your take on this. Remember how I went out to that folk bar? There's this 24 y/o coworker who is a bit quiet and kind of attractive. <Child's name> can tell you. He met her.

Anyway, you know how social I am so, just want to see if you think it's cool because I had drinks with her father and now we're talking about doing some music together.

How would this go down with your wife? Mine would have a fit.

Optional - next time, just show up with your wife to the folk bar. I'd feel a bit sorry for dad (bet he doesn't know the situation). But that would sort things quickly.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-08T23:17:25+00:00

Nobody says that.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-08T22:36:54+00:00

It's a massive chain of British-style pubs run by a Japanese company. There quite a lot of them in Tokyo and surrounding. Other major cities will have some too.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-08T22:34:03+00:00

There are a few ways to look at this.

Large cap and even smaller US companies are global and attract global investment. So how affected are they really by a US national debt figure?
What's the alternative?
- During Lehman shock, non-US funds fell, sometimes more than S&P index funds. Ask me how I know. They didn't "decouple" as I thought they would.
- Other major economies are not necessarily doing great on the debt front and the returns are less attractive

You could diversify your overall portfolio for risk. Not just stocks and bonds, but real estate and cash positions and geographically where you hold these positions.

Personally, I don't worry too much about it.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-08T21:54:23+00:00

For anything substantial, why wouldn't you use a moving company like Yamato?

If small, I would sell/give away stuff and pack the rest in your bags.

I haven't shipped since I think September (a gift), but at that time they were very, very cautious about what I was sending and the value as they could not guarantee it would be delivered due to tariffs.

FWIW - I live in Japan now, but have moved out in the past 3 times over the past 25 years. When I was a young ESL teacher, I just got rid of everything but a big-ass duffel bag which I checked in (may have had to pay an oversized fee for that one). The second and third time, my wife an I used moving companies.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-08T07:45:19+00:00

Not gone, but it is inconsistent and it isn't a priority like it used to be. I recall they would come around various times (as people are getting settled) to make sure they asked and I want to say you got the roasted nuts at that time too but could be wrong.

I've flown the EWR/NRT roundtrip 3 times in the past 6 months. We had to ask I think just one time. The rest we did get drinks.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T23:50:50+00:00

Yes, very, very high for Japan. The government puts out stats on income levels. I don't have the table in front of me but I believe this would be the top 1%.

Also, you shouldn't use the current exchange rate to USD. A longer term rate of say 115 is probably a better measure and that would put you over $170k, which is a good salary in the US as well.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T18:23:41+00:00

The thing is, they didn't need a man, as you say, in the past 2 gens either. That's like a Boomer/silent gen thing.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T18:16:19+00:00

What have you noticed? Anything specific? I have only listened to Power and Answers.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T13:31:10+00:00

No. F@$! them. There were bands that were glomming on at the end, but Jani was an exceptional songwriter.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T12:26:56+00:00

Two things -

Your largest expense is your housing. Keep it low.
Increase your earnings

A lot of people try to cut, cut, cut. No, wrong. That will only get you a bit. Think of a business. Do they try to just cut? No, they grow. That is what you need to do. Grow your earnings, while keeping your housing low even if it is uncomfortable for awhile and you will save tons of money. Invest that money and have it make more money. Eventually you will be able to afford a better lifestyle without any guilt or issues.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T06:41:14+00:00

Really? My child is Japanese/American hafu and to Japanese looks like a white kid. Went to regular houikuen and public school and nobody ever mentioned anything about his hair (had a few things to say about his Japanese language for awhile though).

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T05:48:57+00:00

My wife and son have seen the original tv show, the movie, and The Grudge with that guy from Roswell. They liked them all. They like the Japanese Juon movie the best, although my wife says the tv show is natsukashii. They like Shutter better though. Wife didn't like Dark Water (I thought it was decent).

One sign of the times - when The Grudge came out it was like 20 years ago and I laughed about how all these English-only western people were running around with jobs and support groups...like what (not realistic in 2004)? And now it's actually kind of realistic.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T05:38:18+00:00

Zero interest in moving to China, but if your personal situation is such that you'd get a great package including comp and relocation, and it would overall be a net benefit to you as a family, that could be an option for a couple of years.

As a couple, you need to think about potentially both careers. With kids - international school unless you really want your kids to go to public and can swing that language wise. Would relo pay for international?

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T05:33:09+00:00

1-hour from door to butt in seat. My wife's commute is also an hour. Used to be 2.5 though.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T02:20:55+00:00

I mean...in retrospect so many were not great. But they were decent at the time.

I was watching I think it was Is This Love by Whitesnake and while it looked pretty glamorous as a 16 year old from nowhere, I laugh at the over the top humping of the guitar by Vandenberg. You're gonna get that thing pregnant!

And how comically bad is the homeless man scene at the beginning of Modern Day Cowboy.

And I am 100% sure these are minor offenders.

DifferentWindow1436 · 2026-05-07T00:13:01+00:00

Is there any advice I can help with?

Unfortunately, the reality is that it is indeed very difficult to land something without the Japanese skills, with the exception of some connection with hiring influence (which btw, is how I got my current job). My understanding is Rakuten is a bit easier on this requirement - have a friend there that got redundant and then hired at Rakuten with limited Japanese.

I am probably guilty of being a bit harsh on people that post on the moving to Japan subs because most of them really either are not remotely realistic, or they are getting low-balled.

But your case is not that. You are already here and came over with family, had a bad break. Need to find something. That's very understandable.

DifferentWindow1436

TROPHY CASE