Now, the number of seniors moving to Thailand after retirement is rapidly increasing. In addition, there are Japanese seniors who are making a living in Thailand, making use of their experience, such as a man who made a big success of his business with "downtown flavors"! What is the "second life" of leaving Japan? We will follow up. ■ Living in a tower apartment on a pension The reporting team headed to Thailand, the land of smiles. Now, the number of seniors moving to Thailand after retirement is rapidly increasing! Kazumasa Nitta, a 66-year-old single man, lives on his pension in a 31-story tower apartment. Nitta: "This is the pool." On the rooftop, there is a pool with a panoramic view of Bangkok. Nitta: "(The rent is) 24,000 baht (about 103,200 yen)." It is also equipped with a full-fledged sports gym. At the back of the spacious living room is an 8-tatami bedroom. His pension is about 200,000 yen. He receives it even while living overseas, and Nitta transfers it to a Thai account. He says he has enough money even when considering food and utility costs. Nitta: "If you eat at a food court, you can get a decent meal for 100 baht (about 450 yen)." And the reason why more and more people are moving to Thailand is... A man who moved to Thailand (69): "Because it's warm all year round." A man who moved to Thailand two years ago (72): "Many Thai people are pro-Japanese, so they will take good care of you." ■What was planned to be a three-year project turned into 22 years...running a popular restaurant Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. In the city center, there is a restaurant run by a senior Japanese man. An employee is stomping on something with his foot, but... The restaurant's signature dish is udon noodles that are handmade from scratch every day and boast a glossy, chewy texture. And a light broth made with dried sardines and kelp. This extremely popular restaurant is full to capacity every day, serving authentic "Sanuki-style udon." The owner is Hioki Fumihiko (72). "Dondon" Owner Hioki: "I started a restaurant in Thailand, which has always been my dream, thinking, 'Let's try it as a way to practice.'" 22 years ago, at the age of 50, he retired early from a major trading company. He returned to Japan, where his wife and children live, once every few months. He planned to return to Japan in about three years, but his specialty udon became a big hit! Along with regular customers, the number of employees also increased. Hioki: "After three years, we were busy. We thought we would continue for four to five years." A woman who works at Hioki's restaurant: "I've been working here since it first opened. I want to work here forever." He couldn't quit the restaurant, and before he knew it, 22 years had passed. A man who works at Hioki's restaurant: "During the coronavirus pandemic, Hioki didn't fire any of his employees." And now, a situation has arisen that may further delay Hioki's return to Japan. The reason for this is the large number of buckets filled with something white placed in the kitchen. The contents are "monjayaki," a taste of the Japanese downtown area. Even in Thailand, where Japanese food is booming, "Monjayaki" is rare, and when surprised young people introduced this restaurant's "Monjayaki" on social media, it became a big hit. It became so popular that they had to prepare it in advance on a hot plate. A Thai customer said, "I came here after seeing it on social media." "It's my first time eating it, but it's delicious!" The restaurant is very busy! On holidays, he enjoys his favorite game of golf with friends. Mr. Hioki: "It's not a 'second life', but I want to work at a restaurant I like in Thailand while I'm healthy." ■ How is your life in Thailand now? There are about 72,000 Japanese people living in Thailand. In recent years, the number of Japanese people obtaining permanent residency has been increasing. Takahashi Keiko (63), who retired last year and moved to Thailand with her husband, has a 35 square meter 1LDK apartment and rents about 90,000 yen. There is also a pool that can be used all year round. Takahashi: "How are you doing?" What encouraged them to move was the ability to stay connected to their family, acquaintances, and information in Japan through the Internet and other means. How is your life in Thailand now? When we asked seniors at a dinner party, the following comments were made. A woman who moved to Thailand (73): "The number of Japanese restaurants is on par with Japan. There are a lot of conveyor belt sushi restaurants." She said that with the recent Japan boom, there is no shortage of Japanese food and ingredients. A woman who moved to Thailand (69): "It's boring that there are no four seasons, but it's a lot easier to live here in reality." On the other hand, some people said that due to the weak yen and high prices, "it doesn't feel as cheap" as before. A man who moved to Thailand (69): "The yen is weak, so life isn't that easy." From a securities company executive to selling "benjarong yaki" Once every two weeks, these seniors visit a girls' high school in Bangkok. Takahashi: "Is this delicious?" Student: "It's delicious!" Takahashi: "How much is this?" Student: "500 yen." Takahashi: "Is it 500 yen?" Student: "Yes." Japanese seniors volunteer to teach Japanese to high school girls. Student: "My dream is to work in Japan in the future." "I love the Japanese language. And I really love good-looking guys." Takahashi: "Japanese volunteering is fun, isn't it?" Woman who moved to Thailand (59): "My students cheer me up." "I retired and came to Thailand, and I was only excited for about a month. So I had to do something." Nomura Manabu (59), who just moved to Thailand in March this year. On this day, he was on his way to a sales call to sell something. In fact, Nomura has served as an executive at a number of securities companies, but he gave up his position to move to Thailand. The reason for this is "Benjarong ware," a type of ceramic with 600 years of history in Thailand. Nomura: "I brought this with me. A painted plate." Nomura is selling this. He left his wife and daughters behind in Japan to work alone. Moreover, his annual income, which was several tens of millions of yen, has dropped dramatically. Nomura: "Compared to when my income was at its highest, it's less than one-twentieth of what it was." Furthermore, the room he lives in now is a 6-tatami room. Nomura: "It's poor compared to life in Tokyo." Why would a Japanese person choose Thai traditional crafts? Actually, 45 years ago, Nomura's parents opened a store in Thailand to spread Benjarong pottery to the world. At that time, Nomura, who was an elementary school student, was left in the care of his grandmother. After his father passed away, his mother, Reiko, took over the store in Thailand, but... Nomura: "She looks healthy, but she's 83 years old. I thought it would be better to support her properly at the end." Reiko: "I felt relieved." When Nomura came to Thailand, he realized once again the beauty of "Benjarong pottery." Nomura: "I think (Benjarong pottery) is a very important asset for this country, so it is very meaningful to play a part in raising the level and spreading it." Using his experience, the first thing he started was promoting Benjarong pottery using SNS. Then, he started a "painting experience" for the younger generation who have the power to communicate. A woman living in Thailand said, "It was a lot of fun." "I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product." And so, in collaboration with Ishikawa Prefecture's traditional craft "Kutani ware," they developed the "Benjarong wine glass." It has become a popular product that is currently on a waiting list. It's only been six months since Nomura came to Thailand. The store's sales have doubled. On the other hand, a serious problem is the lack of successors due to the aging of painters. So Nomura started a project to ask children in poor areas to come up with new patterns for Benjarong ware, and has gathered supporters. Nomura said, "We asked children to submit designs, turned the best ones into mugs, and commercialized them, and gave the profits back to underprivileged children and schools." The aim is to find future painters while also doing charity. Nomura said, "It's very rewarding to be able to do work that benefits Thailand." ■ Supporting a children's orchestra in the slums Meanwhile, there was a Japanese woman walking through a slum in Bangkok. Shigeko Kakogawa (68), who has been living in Thailand for 30 years. It's a place where 100,000 people live in illegally built houses and other places. Kakogawa: "It's a place where there is always temptation to get caught up in drugs and crime." We headed to a small church in the slums. There, we met the Immanuel Orchestra, made up of children living in the slums. Kakogawa: "If those children hadn't found the violin, they would have been picking up plastic and living from hand to mouth, so they didn't have many career options." After graduating from a music college, Kakogawa worked as a piano teacher, but 30 years ago she married a Thai man and moved to Bangkok. Her encounter with the orchestra came during the Great East Japan Earthquake. Kakogawa: "It was a lasting memory to see the people in the slums putting money in the donation box and supporting Japan." Kakogawa visited a church in the slums and donated instruments that she no longer used. She began supporting the children. The support gradually spread, and last year, they went on a performance tour of Japan. Female student (17): "I never dreamed I'd be able to go to Japan." Male student (14): "In the future, I want to become a violinist who performs around the world." Kakogawa-san: "At first, I felt like I wanted to support them, but there is a lot I can teach them. Seeing them shining brightly has made me dream even bigger. I am very grateful for meeting them." ■Applying to JICA and going to Thailand to become a Japanese language teacher There are seniors who are active in Thailand, even in rural areas. A one-and-a-half hour flight from Bangkok, this small port town in the west of the Malay Peninsula once flourished as a trading hub. In this town's high school... Murata Mikio (72): "Please read it." Student: "Out loud in the hospital." In Thailand, the number of high schools that teach Japanese is on the rise. The teacher is the only Japanese teacher in the town, 72-year-old Murata Mikio. Student: "Mr. Murata's Japanese lessons are very easy to understand and I love them." "I want to date a Japanese person." After lunch, we headed to the school cafeteria. We chose what we wanted to eat from a variety of dishes and purchased them. On this day, Murata chose a kind of "bukkake rice" with fried egg, pork gapao stir-fry, and green curry on top of rice. Murata: "It's 40 baht (about 170 yen). Economical." He joins the students at the table and eats with them. Murata was a mathematics teacher for 40 years until he retired. He couldn't give up on his dream of teaching overseas, so he applied to JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) even though he couldn't speak Thai. Murata: "The age limit for (JICA) applications was 69 years old, so I thought this was my last chance." His wife was surprised at first, but... Murata: "She said, 'If you want to go, go ahead,' and 'I'll take care of the house.' I'm grateful." The room Murata lives in in this town is a one-room apartment with no kitchen, and the rent is about 22,000 yen a month. JICA provides rent and food, so he doesn't have to use his pension. For breakfast, he buys bread and fruit from a nearby store every day. He says he often eats dinner at food stalls. "Thailand is better than I expected. The food is also good. Even if I eat whatever I want and drink beer every day (total food expenses for a month) are about 30,000 yen." And Murata's favorite pastime is playing tennis with his local friends. ...Click here for the rest of the article and other news! [TV Asahi News] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp