Jpnexpert

Japan might be the best country to live in: Safe, clean, beautiful cities. Incredible infrastructure. Amazing food. Freedom to enjoy life. A society with real class. Japan should also be the global hub for startups and R&D. I write about Japan—and how it can become even better.

@MarioNawfal @RankingRoyals @Tesla BYD’s Song Plus is just one of several models available from BYD, giving buyers multiple options. In contrast, the Model Y has no real internal competition within Tesla at that price range.

🇨🇳 Here are the world’s best-selling EVs right now: 1. Tesla Model Y - 1.17 million 2. BYD Song Plus - 739k 3. Tesla Model 3 - 533k Tesla still owns the top 3 spots overall, but China is flooding the rest with BYD models. Source: @RankingRoyals, @Tesla

At Mizumoto Park for cherry blossom viewing—the largest park within Tokyo’s 23 wards. Since the more popular parks tend to be crowded, I chose to visit this one instead. Its distance from major railway stations keeps the crowds away, and it also features a beautiful pond. #japan #tokyo #mizumoto

Please follow me if you love Japan and want insights you won’t find anywhere else. I live in Tokyo and created this account last week to share a deeper, more candid view of Japan with the world—and I’ll respond to your questions too. I aim to share perspectives that many locals don’t usually talk about—and that AI often won’t tell you. I’m passionate about travel, geopolitics, infrastructure, freedom, and poverty, among other topics. I’ve driven across Japan, visiting places all over the country. I especially enjoy stopping at highway service areas and roadside stations (michi-no-eki)—and I may have visited more of them than almost anyone else in Japan.

The most liked Japanese post on @X in the last 24 hours. Check the threads

Driving through a tunnel of cherry blossoms! 🌸#tokyo

Please follow me if you love Japan and want insights you won’t find anywhere else. I live in Tokyo and created this account last week to share a deeper, more candid view of Japan with the world—and I’ll respond to your questions too. I aim to share perspectives that many locals don’t usually talk about—and that AI often won’t tell you. I’m passionate about travel, geopolitics, infrastructure, freedom, and poverty, among other topics. I’ve driven across Japan, visiting places all over the country. I especially enjoy stopping at highway service areas and roadside stations (michi-no-eki)—and I may have visited more of them than almost anyone else in Japan.

Americans and Japanese meeting on X today to discuss dirty foreign migrants and how to get rid of them. 🔊

Please follow me if you love Japan and want insights you won’t find anywhere else. I live in Tokyo and created this account last week to share a deeper, more candid view of Japan with the world—and I’ll respond to your questions too. I aim to share perspectives that many locals don’t usually talk about—and that AI often won’t tell you. I’m passionate about travel, geopolitics, infrastructure, freedom, and poverty, among other topics. I’ve driven across Japan, visiting places all over the country. I especially enjoy stopping at highway service areas and roadside stations (michi-no-eki)—and I may have visited more of them than almost anyone else in Japan.

If you dream, your meme can become reality, anon.

Follow me if you love Japan and want insights you won’t find anywhere else. I live in Tokyo and created this account last week to share a deeper, more candid view of Japan with the world—and I’ll respond to your questions too. I aim to share perspectives that many locals don’t usually talk about—and that AI often won’t tell you. I’m passionate about travel, geopolitics, infrastructure, freedom, and poverty, among other topics. I’ve driven across Japan, visiting places all over the country. I especially enjoy stopping at highway service areas and roadside stations (michi-no-eki)—and I may have visited more of them than almost anyone else in Japan.

🇯🇵 Japan's foreign resident population hits record 4.12 million, an increase of 9.5% from a year earlier, the Immigration Services Agency said Friday.

Please follow me if you love Japan and want insights you won’t find anywhere else. I live in Tokyo and created this account last week to share a deeper, more candid view of Japan with the world—and I’ll respond to your questions too. I aim to share perspectives that many locals don’t usually talk about—and that AI often won’t tell you. I’m passionate about travel, geopolitics, infrastructure, freedom, and poverty, among other topics. I’ve driven across Japan, visiting places all over the country. I especially enjoy stopping at highway service areas and roadside stations (michi-no-eki)—and I may have visited more of them than almost anyone else in Japan.

🇺🇸🇮🇷 The U.S. sanctions waiver just handed Iran nearly double its entire yearly defense budget... The math is devastating. Trump's waiver unlocked roughly 170 million barrels of Iranian crude worth an estimated $14 billion. Iran's entire 2024 military budget was $7.9 billion. One policy decision gave Tehran almost twice that in a single stroke. At $20,000 per Shahed drone, that money theoretically buys 700,000 of them. The daily numbers are just as absurd. Iran is pulling in $139 million a day in oil revenue at current prices. One day's earnings builds 6,950 drones. One month covers 215,000. And the sanctions discount shrank from $10 a barrel to $2 because Iran is the only country that can actually ship through the waterway it controls. Washington issued the waiver to stabilize global markets. It simultaneously handed Tehran the capital to sustain an indefinite drone war. That's the paradox of fighting an adversary whose entire strategy is designed to be cheaper than your defense against it. Source: @xueqinjiang / WSJ / Reuters / Bloomberg

@MarioNawfal We were warned about it but we didn’t believe and we believed the loud mouths and we are paying the price now!

🇮🇷 Insane that the 2026 Iran War just caused the biggest oil supply shock in history, 16% of global supply, taken offline. - Bigger than the 1973 embargo. - Bigger than the Gulf Wars. - Bigger than the Libyan Civil War - and even bigger than the Ukraine war If Russia removing just 1% in 2022 almost broke Europe. And we just lost 15%+… 2026 just started, and it's already aging like sour milk Source: @jackprandelli

@DemshatetheUS @elonmusk I don’t disagree with that. I am only saying that they have only few models and high sales for one model is because of that. Look at Toyota. They have around 100 models including Lexus.

@jpnexpert @elonmusk Again, every car company has upgraded models. Take the model 3 for example. It’s substantially cheaper and is available for the common consumer and is out performing Honda accords and other ICE vehicles within its class in real world longevity. Tesla is the real deal

Model Y is #1

@teslaownersSV I live in Japan and truly love it. I’ve driven all across the country—visiting many places multiple times. I’ve also been an active supporter of Tesla and a fan of Elon Musk since 2008, long before most people were familiar with either.

If you are from Japan, say hi…

@chinafutureclub Japan already had more than enough in everything in 1999, unlike in any other country in the world. Equipment efficiency increased and electricity usage of same appliances decreased a lot. Look at lighting, refrigerator, washing machines, etc.

Japan used more power in 1999 than they did in 2024. Think about that, it’s insane. Zero electricity growth in 25 years 🇯🇵🚨

You seem to view the United States as if it were a communist country where religion is banned. In reality, Americans are quite religious, including many within the ruling class. Many people in Iran tend to identify more with Europeans than with Asians, and a large number would choose to immigrate if given a U.S. visa. Their main concern now is not willingness, but whether the United States is seen as trustworthy and reliable.

@jpnexpert @RnaudBertrand Lol you really think Iran would want to become the 51st state? Have you studied Iran at all?

Rubio admits that the war will end with Iran still in control of Hormuz and that they may decide to charge a toll, something other countries need to deal with: x.com/FurkanGozukara… "When this conflict, when this operation ends, if the Iranians decide 'well now we control the Strait of Hormuz and you can only go through here if you pay us and if we allow you to', not only is it illegal under international law and maritime law, it's unacceptable and that can't be allowed to exist. And so what we said is that the countries most impacted by that should be willing to do something about it, and we'll help them." This would mean, of course, that the war would have reinforced Iran's strategic position which, almost by definition, means the U.S. lost.

Japan remains remarkably stable, characterized by significantly less political and religious polarization than many other nations. Voter turnout is consistently low, and even among the active electorate, political affiliations are generally treated as a private matter. There is a deep-seated cultural resistance to radical structural change, particularly regarding the labor market; even those in lower-wage brackets seldom advocate aggressively for significant pay hikes, suggesting a level of resignation to the current economic status quo. Furthermore, a substantial portion of the older generation and the upper-middle class holds significant savings and investments in U.S. dollar-denominated assets. For this demographic, a weaker yen and stagnant domestic wages are better as their spending power increases with weaker Yen and stagnant wages. Perhaps most striking is the unique generational dynamic. In many other countries, older generations may harbor resentment toward a youth class that earns more and enjoys a higher standard of living. In Japan, however, this tension is largely absent—simply because the younger generation earns less and possesses fewer opportunities. There is little for the older generation to be 'jealous' of, as they remain the primary beneficiaries of the country’s accumulated wealth and traditional seniority systems.

What helps Japan is that only a tiny fraction of them are proficient English speakers so they're insulated from some of the worst internet trends in the anglosphere

The challenge in the United States and many Western countries lies in how they combine immigration with citizenship and voting rights. They admit both skilled and unskilled immigrants, often along with their families, and grant them full political rights, even when integration into society may take time. In contrast, Japan follows a more cautious approach. It allows immigration in a limited and controlled manner but rarely grants citizenship. In some ways, this is similar to the model in the UAE, where foreign workers are widely accepted, but citizenship is very restricted. This difference in approach leads to different social and economic outcomes but it is rarely studied and discussed.

The right-wing's admiration for the Japanese people and their culture proves that the West's desire to restrict immigration is not based on xenophobia… They've simply seen what has happened to the US and Europe in recent years, and want Japan to avoid making the same mistakes.

China is likely to lead in the number of real-world AI use cases, and once these are proven, Japan will follow—though at its own pace. As both China and Japan demonstrate successful implementations, global adoption will accelerate. Over time, this could move the world closer to what Elon Musk has suggested: daily work becoming optional. In such a scenario, people may no longer need to work to secure basic necessities. Essentials like food, housing, water, electricity, gas, internet, and public transportation could become universally accessible—much like basic AI services are increasingly available for free today.

Prediction: China will win the AI race because it will dominate the demand side. Large swathes of the US economy will resist AI deployment - governments, education, health care, law, ports and railways, etc. High risk Democrats win next two elections and tank US AI development. Plus China has more electricity generation. I don’t see how Elon saves America from shooting itself in the foot.

@darin4really @BrianMcDonaldIE Exactly, but Japan won’t agree!

@jpnexpert @BrianMcDonaldIE Low wages and low cost of living is *usually* worse than the opposite. Places where people’s time is at a premium are the best places, if you’re a person.

Nominal GDP is a terrible way to measure a state like Russia, and it's one of the reasons poorly informed Western pundits keep misreading the country. On PPP, it’s the world's 4th largest economy (over $7 trillion) and bigger than Germany or Japan, with full-spectrum industrial capacity. That’s not a "middle power." Russia can build nuclear submarines, icebreakers and nuclear power plants, launch people into space, produce advanced weapons, export energy at scale and, perhaps most crucially, feed and fuel itself. Italy can’t.

The purchasing power of $15,000 can be comparable to about $75,000 in the United States. Therefore, quality does not need to be so low at that price level—especially for companies with integrated domestic supply chains, which can control costs more effectively while maintaining higher standards.

'In China, a big chunk of the EV market is under $30,000 for a brand new car. You can even get cars under $15,000. In the US, there just aren't many EVs below $40,000.' US autos editor @MikeColias on this week's Reuters Econ World reut.rs/4lTVyl0

@mateamarrgo @blazebIue @BrianMcDonaldIE Exchange rate matters and the changes should have happened long time back and that’s my point actually.

@blazebIue @jpnexpert @BrianMcDonaldIE at the end of the day it's all exchange rate juju. In the current state of affairs we could see euro dropping 30% and ruble raising 30% and that could flip the whole narrative overnight.

Not really! People around the world, including Middle East people and Chinese, like US in many ways. Of course, most hate most of the current leaders and what US does in other countries. If US gives 51st state option, most will happily accept that. In fact, true for most countries with worse living standards. But most of such countries will not benefit US much, unlike Iran.

@jpnexpert @RnaudBertrand Iran wouldn't want to be a US state. You could offer but it would be rejected and make us look Imperialistic.