KonichiValue

Stripe just froze my billing after a rogue user sent a bust of dispute requests. ATM, nobody can upgrade to become a paid KonichiValue member... To thank you for sticking around, I’m unlocking this week’s deep dive: konichivalue.com/p/the-most-o... Read it free and share if you enjoy!

Ryo Tatsuki, the manga artist who predicted the 2011 Fukushima Earthquake, has a chilling prophecy for July 5th, 2025: a mega-earthquake that would devastate Tokyo. This is what would happen if her predictions came true: www.konichivalue.com/p/what-if-a-...

People love blaming religion for all problems, but without it, civilization wouldn't exist. How else do you get millions of unrelated starving people to cooperate, not kill each other, and work toward a common goal? Religion was past surveillance, and worked! Today, we have CCTV and authoritarianism

This might be the article I’ve worked hardest on all year, because my trip to Mongolia was one of the most fascinating experiences of my life. I put my whole heart into writing it. Hope you enjoy this free Sunday read: www.konichivalue.com/p/mongolia-t...

This is my unpolished and bold take: Trump’s massive tariffs just wrecked Japan and China; and the pressure might just throw them into each other’s arms. Frenemies no more? 👇 www.konichivalue.com/p/frenemies-...

🍜 Ramen was just ranked Japan’s No.1 tourist export! But can these noodle stocks deliver tasty profits? www.konichivalue.com/p/investing-...

The biggest failsafe for an anti-immigration party is that when their policies inevitably fail to revitalize the economy, they can just claim they weren’t allowed to be "tough enough" on immigrants

Who’s the true king of airlines for value investors in Asia? 👑✈️ In my latest stock analysis, I pit ANA (9202.T), JAL (9201.T), and Singapore Airlines (C6L.SI) against each other in a battle of valuation, efficiency, and profitability www.konichivalue.com/p/ana-holdin...

I’ve always been fascinated by Japan’s vending machine obsession. Where else can you grab hot ramen, fresh eggs, or even a tiny shrine at 2 AM? Here’s how vending machines took over Japan: youtu.be/pkDk9ToyIP4

My latest investment is a value investor's wet drea: www.konichivalue.com/p/sumitomo-f...

Is China just speedrunning Japan's economic rise and fall? ✅ Grew twice as fast in half the time ✅ Massive property bubble popped ✅ Shifted from imitator to innovator (EVs, tech) ✅ People now disillusioned with perpetual growth and focus on culture (Ne Zha 2 is awesome!)

If you're waiting for the real estate bubble to burst so you can finally afford to buy a home, remember this legendary quote from You Don't Mess with the Zohan: "They've been fighting for over 2000 years, how much longer can it be?"

I’ve been wanting to write this piece for so long! This is my article on why Japan and Sweden are actually very similar, and why the two nations went completely different trajectories in economic success when their very similar financial bubbles burst: www.konichivalue.com/p/japans-bub...

If you’re curious about my thoughts on Nissan and Honda: Honda is a fighter, built to survive the Chinese EV wave. Nissan is a masterclass in everything wrong with traditional Japanese leadership. Honestly, the best thing from Nissan lately is this: youtu.be/iGbeZNqklic?...

I’ve finally found a boring, overlooked stock that might become the next Itochu or Tokyo Electron. Its fundamentals are off the charts and assets are underrated, yet it’s just now catching investor attention: www.konichivalue.com/p/morita-645...

With US giants like Boston Dynamics and China’s industrial rise, it’s easy to think Japan’s robotic dominance is over. Yet, Japan is still the world's largest robot maker, and as AI turns to robotics, could their moment finally be here? www.konichivalue.com/p/nvidias-ne...

How do we STILL fall for the same dumb cycle?! Every 20 years, it's: 'Oh, that developing country carmakers are a joke, they'll never compete!' Fast-forward 10 years: 'OMG, they’re killing us! Quick, government bailouts!' 🚨 How do these geniuses not see the obvious?

How to know if someone is senior at a consulting firm: - Quite senior = MacBook - Ultra senior = iPad - Intern = Dell Latitude 5470

Childbirth in Japan isn’t covered by health insurance, it’s considered an elective procedure like plastic surgery 🤯. Meanwhile, the government thinks AI matchmaking will boost birth rates, while parents are stuck paying up to $80k just to have a baby

First property crisis, then aging crisis and now debt crisis. Is China just Japan but with less anime?

I'm so tired of debating hot-button politics like Is Trump too old? Is Elon wearing a diaper? or Are world leaders secretly pedophiles? What happened to real debates about tax, infrastructure, public transit, things that are measurable and actually make a difference in our lives?

Most don’t believe it, but Japan crushes Europe and the US for skiing: better powder, endless slopes, crazy affordability, and no deadly drives. Just hop a train from Tokyo to Hakuba. Prove me wrong! www.konichivalue.com/p/off-topic-...

Christmas is over, and reality is here again to hit us like a freight train. Here’s what’s happening to the world’s fastest vanishing city: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I18...

"Sega has been somehow losing confidence," he told the BBC. "But why? Sega has a great RPG group, Sega has amazing IPs, Sega is a really well-known brand. So I was like, hey, now is not the time to be defensive - but more offensive." - Sega's Western CEO Shuji Utsumi youtu.be/Kcy_X--7JBI?...

Why are so many Americans terrified of caffeine? I've had multiple Americans tell me I should have max one cup of coffee a day while they drink Coke Zero like water ☕

@brenttoderian.bsky.social , honestly the best ad for HSR I can think of:

Even though I truly dislike Disney as a company, I can't deny that I love Walt Disney... Today, my love for him grew tenfold when I found out he was a super train-Otaku!

If you ever work in Japan, there's nothing more important for Japanese people than to minimize risk. The word for risk in Japanese is リスク

Why does Nicholas Cage feel like the perfect mascot for Pachinko?

Isn't it insane that Donald Trump chose to meet a mad Japanese tech billionaire before even Japan's PM? Not really, if you know his story: youtu.be/N6WRD1sFsfE?...

Just published a deep dive into Japan’s Climate Transition Bonds: Can they really fund meaningful change, or are they just another shiny ESG promise? open.substack.com/pub/konichiv...

Can someone here explain how there’s always a shortage of pre-k seats in Japan, even though fewer children are born each year?👶

For the first time, US companies now represent 70% of the global stock market's value, surpassing the combined worth of all other countries' listed firms, combined!

Finally decided to analyze my absolute favorite Japanese brand! if you’ve ever enjoyed a true washlet experience, you know how “meh” your life was before... Now the dilemma: Do I jump in now, or let my value-investor instincts hold me back again? www.konichivalue.com/p/toto-5332-...

Why do so many glorify Russia? It's a disaster: Sitting on endless resources but with an economy smaller than Italy's, corruption so bad it screws even their own oligarchs, and a military that only wins through human sacrifice. Even Syria, their only "win," is a mess. And yet, people idolize Putin?

I hate Starbucks, and for good reason: their coffee tastes like burnt ash. They overheat the beans during roasting, then make it worse by blasting pressured water through them. McDonald's pulls this to save pennies, so why does Starbucks do it while charging 2x the price?

You know Japan has a population crisis when even 70+ retirees are back in the workforce, but right-wingers still insist, "No immigration needed! We’ll just tap into the 80+ crowd and the severely disabled next!"

Truer words have never been said: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c4C...

I just saw two fat Japanese twins in the elevator. One asked, 'How many G-forces are we feeling going up?' The other said, '1.02 exactly.' The first nodded and asked, 'Compared to a plane landing?' The other replied, '0.3 less.' Then they just stared at me. Weirdest elevator ride ever

Question: Why do almost no elevators in the West have a closing doors button? Do Western elevator purchasers not trust people to use it responsibly?

People here are worried about the political turmoil in Japan, but what the hell is going on in South Korea?