Your First Ten Million Yen

The first cohort of Your First Ten Million Yen is now sold out. If you would like to join a future cohort or be notified if there is a cancellation for this course, you can join our mailing list here.

Are you feeling uncertain about the future? Do you want to get your finances in order? Maybe you settled down with a partner, had a child, hit 40, or realized you might not be ready for retirement.

This course will give you all the information, encouragement, and resources you need to start saving and investing. Our goal is to get you to ten million yen in savings and investments.

I believe most people are capable of doing that, and by doing so will transform their relationship with money and attain a life free from money worries or constraints.

Life is so much better when you don't have to worry about money. This will not solve all your problems, but it should solve your money problems.

WHO IS THE COURSE FOR?

• This course is for people who want to learn the basics of personal finance and investing in Japan.
• You are welcome to take the course with a family member or friend, but you must log into the class on the same Zoom connection (ie you need to be in the same room when you take the course).
• For this first cohort we will only accept 20 participants.
• If you are already saving and investing you don't need to take this course.
• If you are a US citizen some of this course will not be a good fit for you due to US tax laws and regulations. Please get in touch if you would like to take the course anyway.

WHAT IS THE CONTENT OF THE COURSE?

1. Session 1: Introduction and Financial Stocktake (SEPT 11)In this session we will take stock of where you are and start thinking about your goals for the future.
2. Session 2: Key Financial Principles (SEPT 25)We will go over the basics of personal finance and get clear on key habits and mindsets.
3. Session 3: Basics of Investing (OCT 9)Investing is not as hard as many make it out to be. In this session we will learn the basic principles.
4. Session 4: Investing in Japan (OCT 23 -> OCT 30)Japan is a good place for individual investors and there are several useful tax-advantaged accounts. In this session we will learn about iDeCo, NISA, and broker accounts, and look at what kind of products you might want to buy in them.
5. Session 5: Insurance, Real Estate, Nenkin, and more (NOV 6)
   In this session we will go over other essential aspects of personal finance in Japan. By the end of it you will understand how insurance, pension, and home owning work in Japan, and will be better situated to make decisions.
6. Session 6: Planning for the Future (NOV 20)
   In this final session we will make a financial plan going forward and get clear on our future goals and how to achieve them.

WHAT IS THE FORMAT AND DELIVERY?

• The course will consist of six sessions.
• It will be run live on Zoom every two weeks on Sunday evenings (from 20:00-22:00) in September, October, and November (a recording will be provided to participants who miss the live session).
• Sessions will consist of a 60-90 minute class followed by unstructured time to ask questions.
• The course will be delivered in English, but Japanese terms will be provided when necessary (there will be some support for questions in Japanese )

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

• The course costs 12,000 yen for six live or recorded online sessions, including preview materials and exercises which will be provided by email.
• Future courses are likely to be more expensive.

QUESTIONS

• What if I can't attend one of the sessions?
  Recordings of the sessions will be sent to all participants so they can review them afterwards. If you miss a session you can use the recording to catch up.
• Is this course suitable for older people (do you have to be in your 20s or 30s)?
  Yes, this course will help anyone get a better picture of their finances. For older participants getting a solid grasp of what is available and how they can manage their finances going forward will allow them to avoid costly mistakes in retirement.
• Will there be homework?
  There will be preparatory exercises and assignments, but these are for participants to complete at their own pace and do not need to be submitted. As with anything, the more time and thought you put into the course the more you will get out of it.
• Will this course feature a lot of information about the US?
  This course features no information about the US. It will cover general financial principles and information specific to Japan.

If you have any other questions about the course please get in touch via Gumroad or on the RetireJapan forum or Twitter.