Jan 27, 2024 10:30 AM

Weekend Long Read: Chinese Find Peace Among the Pitfalls of Midlife Move to Japan

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Chen Zhenhua slides down a slide in a park near his apartment in Tokyo in November. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

Living out of 3 square meters in Tokyo, the air a mix of greasy microwave scents and the odor of a dirty mop from the bathroom next door.

“Japan is my Walden Pond,” said Chen Zhenhua. “This is my last chance. I’ve come here to cast off my past, to shed the confusion about the future, to really ponder what I should do.”

Chen sits in his 3-square-meter rental and watches stock trends. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

Chen suffers from insomnia and has neighbors who are loud at night. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin　

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