Foreign years

Hundreds, even thousands, of Japanese may soon be settling in resorts, beaches and villages across Asia - before local residents notice the trend. They are not refugees, but pensioners, fleeing stressful and costly retirement lives back home.

Japanese pensioners increasingly crave good lives abroad, in a new trend they call 'long-stay'. Popular destinations include Thailand's Chiang Mai and Malaysia's Penang state and Cameron Highlands.

'Asia is closer, less costly, and has a warm climate, therefore is the most popular and realistic choice for people interested in long-stay visits,' says Misuzu Yamada of the 12-year-old Long-Stay Foundation in Tokyo.

The former tour conductor and travel consultant is promoting this new style of travel for Japanese - outside of ritzy resorts. Ms Yamada knows of some 100 such Japanese living in Chiang Mai, 300 to 500 in the Cameron Highlands and about 800 in the Philippines. Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines are attracting the pensioners with special visas.

The government encouraged the idea of retirement abroad as early as 1986, launching the Silver Columbia Project. It proposed that well-heeled pensioners follow the European style of staying in resorts for extended periods. The idea was still alien to most Japanese, and the plan stirred up little interest.

Now, it is no longer a novelty, for many reasons. More than 16 million Japanese journey overseas every year - triple the number of travellers 18 years ago.