Unveiling the Real Japan: An American Expat's Inside Look | Hot takes, commentary, and unfiltered insights on life as a foreigner in Japan.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Only free issues | Publishes | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 395 | Founded | 5 years ago | Last Issue | 7 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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realgaijin.substack.comLatest Issues
Why Western "Financial Nihilism" Is Reshaping Youth Investing across East Asia
Financial nihilism is the cynical belief that the traditional economic social contract has been permanently severed (original AI-generated image by author Mark Kennedy)
TL;DR
- East Asian youth, once defined by passive resignation,...
Japan’s “DOGE” Reform: A Political Masterclass in Inertia
Lots of color-coded binders and reams of paper! After nearly eight months of deliberation, Japan’s Office for Reviewing Special Tax Measures and Subsidies announced the elimination of a single program (original AI-generated image from autho...
"Manufacturing Renaissance" in Japan? Mitsubishi Motors to Mass-Produce Humanoid Robots by 2027
Perhaps the first wave of humanoid robots will be deployed at one of Mitsubishi Motors’ own facilities to assist with car manufacturing (original AI-generated image by author Mark Kennedy)
TL;DR
- Mitsubishi Motors and the Tokyo-ba...
AMA Podcast (S-02, E-18) with Simon Partner, Professor of History, Duke University
Foreigners have been visiting and trading with Japan for centuries, but from the 1630s the Tokugawa shogunate imposed strict limits on foreign contact. For more than two centuries, European trade was largely confined to the Dutch trading po...
Japan’s New ADHD Treatment: Prescription Gaming Is Here
ENDEAVORRIDE® is a localized version of the country’s first insurance-covered digital therapeutic app adapted for the Japanese medical market (original AI-generated image by author Mark Kennedy)
TL;DR
- On June 5, 2026, ENDEAVORRID...
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Mark, a Chicago native, spent nearly three decades navigating the corporate world of Tokyo. But in a bold move, he ditched the suit and tie in his early fifties, seeking a simpler life in the heart of Japan's countryside on the island of Kyushu.
I'm a historian with a lifelong fascination for the smaller stories of world history. How did ordinary people experience the great (and small) events of history? In this feed, I focus on Japanese history from the bottom up.
Founder of Ambiki, former CTO of Sidekick Therapy Partners, and author of The Problem-First Method. My work has spanned banking, teaching in Japan, translation tech, and healthcare software, all focused on solving messy workflow problems.
Apple Design Awards Winner | Sr Product Designer @ Speechify | MBA | Software Engineer | 3× TEDx Speaker
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