I'm 50 years old Japanese man and am really worried about my future. What should I do?

Summary

A 50-year-old Japanese office worker shares his concerns about the future, burdened with a 28-year home loan that will last until he is 78, and the responsibility of caring for his young children and elderly parents. Despite being in good health, he feels stuck in his current job with no prospects for promotion and limited career change options. He seeks advice on how to navigate the next decade, expressing worries about his financial situation and the well-being of his family.

Takeaways

• 🙍‍♂️ The speaker is a 50-year-old Japanese office worker who feels worried about his future.
• 🏡 He has a 28-year home loan that will be paid off when he is 78, which is a significant concern for him.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 The speaker has a young family; his oldest son is in elementary school and his youngest daughter is only four years old.
• 👴 He also has an 81-year-old mother who lives in a care center due to mental health issues.
• 👪 The speaker and his brother are responsible for their mother's care, and he also has in-laws to consider for future care.
• 💼 He has been working at his current company for 10 years and does not see any prospects for promotion.
• 🔄 Despite being content with his job, he feels stuck and lacks hope for career advancement.
• 👨‍💼 He does not aspire to be a top leader in his company and is comfortable with his current position.
• 📉 The speaker feels that at 50, job opportunities are limited, especially for someone not in a high managerial position.
• 💼 He has experience in sales and marketing and is not interested in returning to sales.
• 🚫 He does not see any good opportunities for career change or advancement at his age with his current experience.

Q & A

How old is the speaker and what is their current occupation?

The speaker is 50 years old and is a typical Japanese office worker.

What is the speaker's primary concern regarding their future?

The speaker's primary concern is the financial burden of their home loan, which will not be finished until they are 78 years old.

How many years do they have left to pay on their home loan?

They have 28 years left to pay on their home loan.

What is the age of the speaker's oldest and youngest children?

The speaker's oldest child is 8 years old, and their youngest child is 4 years old.

How does the speaker feel about their age compared to other parents at their children's school events?

The speaker feels significantly older than most other parents, as they are 50 years old and do not see any fathers of a similar age at their children's school events.

What is the speaker's current health status?

The speaker is in good health, both physically and mentally, with no mention of suffering from mental illness or depression.

What is the age and situation of the speaker's mother?

The speaker's mother is 81 years old and has been living in a Care Center for about five years due to mental health issues.

What is the speaker's relationship with their in-laws?

The speaker's in-laws, including their father-in-law who recently retired, live about 3 hours away by car and are in good health, but the speaker and their wife will need to take care of them in the future.

How long has the speaker been working at their current company?

The speaker has been working at their current company for 10 years.

What are the speaker's thoughts on their career progression at their current company?

The speaker does not see any hope for promotion at their current company due to their position and the company's environment.

What is the speaker's view on changing their job or career?

The speaker does not have any other companies they wish to work for at the moment and feels that they do not have good opportunities for a better position than their current one.