Hi everyone,
For today’s episode of Talking Markets, recorded on Tuesday, I sat down with
, author of the excellent Substack, Japan Optimist.Jesper’s credentials are so numerous that I’m just going to steal his bio:
Economist, Investor, Patron and, yes, Japan Optimist --- exJPMorgan & Merrill Lynch Chief Economist/Strategist & Head of Research ; Board Director @ OIST, AsiaSociety & 3 Japan start-ups ; Global Ambassador @ Monex Group and Tokyo Financial Center
Not sure quite how many hyphens you would need there to connect it all….(!) And as you’ll see, he probably has the coolest glasses in the world…
Some “huh, that’s interesting” quotes from Jesper:
“Japan is unbelievably rich and has enormous resources. People always forget that this has been the world's largest creditor country for the past 37 years.”
“Japan cannot trust its two biggest partners...the People's Republic of China on the one hand...And then of course, the United States of America...And what has happened over the last five, six years is that basically both those partners...have become untrustworthy.”
“Japan's corporate metabolism is on fire.”
“Last year was the first year ever in Japan where companies hired more people mid-career rather than at the graduate intake. That's unheard of in a very, very proud human capital management culture.”
“If you switch jobs in Japan and you're in your 20s, your average pay increase is 42%.”
“This country has become an immigration superpower.”
“America always wants to have the big dramatic cycles, the boom-bust cycles. China is managing that cycle, you know, and it does have the fiscal and current account resources to actually manage that.”
“Everybody who's cool wants to move to Tokyo...there's growing evidence that you have a little bit of a brain drain to Japan, where the best and the brightest from around Asia and the United States of America actually are happy to take a pay cut...the quality of life and your purchasing power makes Tokyo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, very, very good places to live and work.”
This is Japan as you’ve (possibly) never considered it before. Recorded: June 24, 2025.
Enjoy,
Maggie
P.S. In case you missed the link up top, Japan Optimist is very, very worth your reading time.
Important Disclaimer: It is crucial to remember that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Consult with a qualified financial advisor to assess your risk tolerance, investment goals, and overall financial plan.
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