Japanese Man With Rs 3 Crore Pension Leaves Wife For Peaceful Retirement In Countryside, But Plan Backfires

A Japanese man's plan to lead a peaceful retirement life alone has turned out to be a cautionary tale after his ordeal and his wife's unexpected triumph came to light. Tetsu Yamada, who retired at the age of 60 years with a pension corpus of around Rs 3 crore (50 million yen), wanted to relocate to his hometown for a simple life. His wife, Keiko, used to city life, refused. Their two sons working in Tokyo could not relocate.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), this led to tensions between the couple, and Keiko proposed a solution called ‘sotsukon,’ a Japanese custom in which couples live apart, but continue to remain married.

Yamada, seeing it as easier than divorce, agreed and moved back to the countryside alone. He renovated his house using his pension funds, imagining a peaceful retirement.

“I’m finally ready to begin the second life men long for,” Yamada was quoted as saying by SCMP.

However, living alone was tougher than Yamada had predicted. Failing at domestic chores, he lived on instant noodles and frozen vegetables, and couldn't even handle simple cooking. At the same time, Keiko thrived. As reported by SCMP, Yamada saw on social media that she had set up a handmade workshop in Tokyo, and the business was doing incredibly well. “It seems that even without me, she looks very happy,” Yamada said.

The couple has occasional online communication, but Yamada's relationship with his sons appears strained. According to SCMP, it is still not certain if he will return to Tokyo and rejoin his family.

The news, which was published globally and went viral in Japan, led to a lot of discussion around the trend of ‘sotsukon.’

A social media user said, “Yamada thought he was starting a second life, but without life skills, leaving his family turned out to be a disaster.” Another comment read, “Let’s wish Keiko well. She no longer has to care for others and can focus on her own hobbies.”

Yamada’s experience highlights the challenges of independent living after decades of shared family life. It shows that even a sizeable pension fund cannot replace practical skills and the support of loved ones.