RetireJapan

RetireJapan

The Monday Read: Going Back

Work eventually makes you free after all

Ben Tanaka's avatar
Ben Tanaka
Nov 17, 2025
∙ Paid

Last week I did something I haven’t done for a while: I took a paid job working for an employer.

It was just for one day, and I had an ulterior motive, but it was eye-opening in terms of how it made me feel and the perspective it provided on my current life.

I got paid a reasonable amount of money (27,000 yen net of withholding taxes), got a free lunch, a…

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