A Japanese man earning the equivalent of RM841,000 annually from investments and rental properties has drawn widespread attention for choosing to continue working as a janitor.
Koichi Matsubara, 56, works three days a week at an apartment block in Tokyo, where he cleans common areas and performs basic maintenance.
The job pays him 100,000 yen (RM2,866) a month, a fraction of Tokyo’s average salary of 350,000 yen (RM10,031).
But Matsubara insists his motivation is not financial.
“Every morning, I wake up, clean and make everything neat.
It feels really good,” he was quoted as saying in an interview with The Gold Online.
Matsubara, who grew up in a single-parent household, began saving diligently after secondary school, when he earned 180,000 yen (RM5,159) a month at a factory job.
Within a few years, he had saved three million yen (RM85,985), 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 added.
Over the years, he built a portfolio of seven rental flats in Tokyo and its suburbs, in addition to investments in stocks and funds.
These assets now generate more than 30 million yen (RM859,853) annually.
Despite his considerable wealth, Matsubara has maintained a frugal lifestyle.
He lives in a modest apartment, cooks his own meals, cycles rather than drives, and has not bought new clothes for over a decade.
He also uses a basic smartphone instead of a high-end device.
Matsubara says his goal is not to flaunt wealth but to lead a balanced life.
“I hope to have something to do every day, stay healthy, and think for myself,” he added.