A 56-year-old man in Japan, who earns over 30 million yen (Rs 1.8 crore) annually from rental income and investments, continues to work as a janitor in Tokyo to stay active and healthy, The Gold Online reported.
Koichi Matsubara works part-time sweeping public areas and performing basic maintenance in a residential building. He earns just 100,000 yen (Rs 60,000) a month from the job—far below Tokyo’s average salary of 350,000 yen (Rs 2 lakh).
Despite his modest role, Matsubara is believed to be one of the building’s wealthiest residents. He owns seven rental flats across Tokyo and its suburbs and has invested in stocks and mutual funds.
From factory worker to ‘invisible millionaire’
Matsubara grew up in a single-parent household and learned to live frugally from a young age. After finishing secondary school, he worked in a factory earning 180,000 yen (Rs 1 lakh) a month. By saving diligently, he accumulated 3 million yen (Rs 18 lakh), which he used to buy his first studio apartment.
“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,” South China Morning Post (SCMP) quoted him as saying.
Today, Matsubara lives in a small rented flat, cooks his own meals, and hasn’t bought new clothes in over a decade. He uses a basic smartphone and cycles around the city.
“I wake up, clean and make everything neat. It feels really good,” he said, adding that the janitor job is not about money but about maintaining a routine and staying physically active.
He plans to continue working until he receives his pension at 60. “I hope to have something to do every day, stay healthy, and think for myself,” he said.
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