bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Zoey Zhang

A man in Japan who earns 30 million yen (US$203,000) a year from rent and investments insists on continuing to work as a janitor to stay healthy and active.
Koichi Matsubara, 56, cleans public areas and carries out basic maintenance in a block of flats in Tokyo, according to the Japanese media outlet The Gold Online.
Matsubara reportedly works a four-hour shift three days a week.
The janitor job gives him a monthly income of 100,000 yen (US$680), much lower than Tokyo’s average salary of 350,000 yen (US$2,400).

Despite his modest job, Matsubara may be one of the building’s wealthiest “invisible millionaires”.
He earns more than 30 million yen annually from rental properties and investments.
Matsubara grew up in a single-parent household and often had to save for a long time to buy the things he wanted.
“I have always hoped to live off my own assets,” he said.
After secondary school, Matsubara worked at a factory with a monthly salary of 180,000 yen (US$1,220).

He tightly controlled his expenses and saved around three million yen (US$20,000) over a few years, which he used to buy his first studio flat.
“The housing market had bottomed out at that time. I took steps to avoid vacancy and paid off the mortgage early, gradually increasing my properties,” he said.
Today, he owns seven rental flats in Tokyo and its suburbs and has investments in stocks and funds.
Despite his considerable wealth, Matsubara lives a frugal, simple life.
He lives in a cheap flat, cooks his own meals and has not bought new clothes for more than a decade.
He also uses a basic smartphone and primarily gets around on a bicycle.
Working as a janitor is not about earning money; it is about staying active, he says.
“Every morning, I wake up, clean and make everything neat. It feels really good.”
Matsubara’s goal is to live a fulfilling life without showing off his wealth.
With nearly 20 years of work experience, he is looking forward to his pension at 60.
He also shared his life philosophy: “I hope to have something to do every day, stay healthy, and think for myself.”

Matsubara’s story has caused a buzz on social media.
One online observer said: “He is rational and skilled at managing his wealth.”
“Doing some cleaning every day is also a form of mental healing and a good way to exercise the body,” said another.
“Do not ever underestimate a cleaner or a server. An invisible millionaire could be right next to you,” added a third.
In Japan, unconventional lifestyles like Matsubara’s are not uncommon.
A 75-year-old man known as the “God of Freebies” has been using coupons and free offers instead of money for a decade.
He reportedly owns stocks in more than 1,000 companies and has a net worth of more than 100 million yen (US$700,000).


Japan food company rebrands ‘boring’ tofu, making it ‘manly’ to appeal to young customers

Disappointing BTS Seoul concert turnout causes agency stock to drop

McDonald’s CEO’s burger blunder video shows the problem of lacking a common touch

Game centre in China criticised for offering live hamsters as prizes in claw machine

Viral stories

Japan man earns US$200,000 annually from investments, works as janitor to stay healthy

A 56-year-old Japanese man earns more than US$200,000 a year from investments but continues to work as a janitor, fearing idleness might affect his health. Photo: Shutterstock

Koichi Matsubara cleans public areas and carries out basic maintenance at a block of flats in Tokyo. Photo: Handout

The 57-year-old owns seven rental properties in Tokyo and its suburbs. Photo: Shutterstock

Matsubara says the work he does at the residential complex makes him feel “really good”. Photo: Shutterstock

Human fingernails used in TCM to detox, heal wounds after sterilisation process in China

In China, human fingernails are being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for detoxification and wound healing after undergoing strict sterilisation. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

This bag of clipped human fingernails might look disgusting, but they can be of medical benefit. Photo: Douyin

A traditional Chinese medicine practitioner weighs some human fingernails. Photo: Douyin

One woman in northern China has been selling her nail clippings for use as a traditional Chinese medicine ingredient. Photo: Douyin

The clippings can be mixed with a range of substances before being applied medicinally. Photo: Douyin

Chinese-Pakistani influencer, famous for unique looks and strong Henan accent, marries fan

Fan Zihe, a Pakistani adopted by a couple in China has announced she will marry her Chinese partner on September 17. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/Sohu

Happy couple: Fan Zihe laughs during a wedding photo shoot with her beau. Photo: Douyin

The couple carry oversized lai see packets. The wedding will follow local traditions, but there will be no bride price. Photo: Douyin

Fan Zihe and Lyu Xiaoshuai sample the great outdoors during their wedding photo shoot. Photo: Douyin

Fan with her parents who adopted her while they were working in Pakistan. Photo: Douyin

Tian Kuang Festival – from drying dragon robes to families airing laundry for good luck

We explore China’s Tian Kuang Festival, known as the Double Six Festival, which originated with emperors sun-drying their robes. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote

The festival is marked by families drying clothes and bedding outdoors to dispel bad luck and invite good fortune. Photo: QQ.com

The Tian Kuang Festival can involve the sun-drying of special books and texts. Photo: QQ.com

The festival also involves a lot of water, including the bathing of pets and livestock. Photo: QQ.com

In some areas, the Tian Kuang Festival sees married women coming home to their parents bearing gifts. Photo: QQ.com

Chinese businesswoman falls for younger employee, gifts him US$420,000 to settle divorce

A female boss fell for her employee while both were married and provided him 3 million yuan to divorce his wife. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Shortly after He joined her company, Zhu became attracted to him. Although both were married at the time, they quickly started an affair. Photo: Shutterstock

Zhu runs a successful company in Chongqing, though specific details about her business remain undisclosed in the report. Photo: Shutterstock

The appellate court stated that Zhu demonstrated a lack of integrity by attempting to reclaim the funds after He’s divorce, a process she had expedited through her financial backing. Photo: Shutterstock

Self-taught Chinese teenage boy launches rocket to 400 metres using inexpensive materials

A Chinese village teenager, passionate about rocketry, self-taught in building rockets with affordable materials, successfully launched a rocket to 400 metres. Photo: SCMP composite/Xinhua/Toutiao

Zhang has been accepted into the aerospace engineering major at Shenyang Aerospace University, one of China’s leading aerospace institutions, and he aspires to design and build real rockets in the future. Photo: Handout

Initially, he collected nitrate from his family’s pigsty to create fuel, combining it with sugar and water in their kitchen but soon realised that the fuel was impure. Photo: Handout

His school supported his endeavours by providing an adapted office space originally designed for calligraphy, allowing him to collaborate with his fellow teammates. Photo: Handout

Zhang’s passion for rocket making ignited at age 14 after watching a live broadcast of a rocket launch with his father. Photo: Handout

News

People & Culture

56-year-old ‘invisible millionaire’ with passion for tidiness flies under the social radar, says simple life makes him feel ‘really good’


56-year-old ‘invisible millionaire’ with passion for tidiness flies under the social radar, says simple life makes him feel ‘really good’.


Japan

Trending in China

Japan man earns US$200,000 annually from investments, works as janitor to stay healthy

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}56-year-old ‘invisible millionaire’ with passion for tidiness flies under the social radar, says simple life makes him feel ‘really good’

56-year-old ‘invisible millionaire’ with passion for tidiness flies under the social radar, says simple life makes him feel ‘really good’