Fueled by the expansion of the Nippon Individual Savings Account (NISA) tax-exemption system and rising stock prices, an investment boom is spreading primarily among young people in Japan.

As the number of "FIRE" (Financial Independence, Retire Early) adherents aiming to accumulate wealth and retire early grows, side effects such as "NISA poverty"—where people drastically cut living expenses—are also emerging.

FIRE is a coined term combining the first letters of "Financial Independence" and "Retire Early," referring to a lifestyle funded by investment returns and asset management after retirement.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on September 4, success stories of people leaving their jobs early and enjoying a leisurely lifestyle through investments are stimulating the mindset of the younger generation.

A couple in their 30s in Chiba Prefecture quit the major corporations they had worked for for six years in 2021, after saving 50 million yen (approximately 440 million KRW) through stocks and other investments.

Since then, they have been living a life enjoying hobbies such as table tennis and cafe hopping while watching their elementary school daughter grow up every day.

As they felt a sense of isolation due to reduced opportunities to socialize, they started joining club activities and also generate tens of thousands of yen in monthly side income through video production to prepare against potential losses.

This atmosphere has been driven by the "New NISA," which expanded tax-exemption benefits in 2024.

As of the end of 2025, the cumulative purchase amount under NISA reached 71 trillion yen, doubling the figure from 2023.

Twenty-six percent of people in their 20s and 38 percent in their 30s hold NISA accounts, and investment amounts surged to more than triple for those in their 20s and nearly quadruple for those in their 30s compared to 2023.

At an investment academy in Tokyo, male students accounted for 90 percent in 2014, but recently the proportion of female students has risen to 60 percent.

This appears to be driven by a sharp increase in participation among young people regardless of gender, who feel anxious about the future amid rising prices.

On the other hand, cases of sacrificing daily life due to excessive investment are being reported one after another.

A 32-year-old office worker in Tokyo pours 400,000 yen a month into investments, survives on just one meal a day, and has cut monthly living expenses to less than 50,000 yen.

Concerns regarding this phenomenon are also being raised.

An expert formerly with the Bank of Japan warned, "Many have only experienced success due to the rising stock prices over the past few years, but investment always comes with risks."

In addition, social media-style investment fraud cases based on the notion of "guaranteed profits" have surged.

According to the National Police Agency, damage amounts in the first half of this year alone reached approximately 79.8 billion yen, accounting for nearly half of all special fraud cases, emerging as a major social issue.

(Photo: Yonhap News)