how do Japanese people generally view the stock market? what about you?

Most Japanese people view investing, including stocks, as a form of gambling. Instead of seeing it as a way to diversify financial risk, they perceive it as speculation – a bet where you either win or lose. Consequently, far fewer Japanese participate in the stock market compared to Americans, and their investment knowledge is generally limited. A large portion of Japanese assets remains in bank savings accounts. When they do invest in stocks, they tend to favor long-term holdings in companies they've worked for or are familiar with, preferring dividends over capital gains, likely due to the predictability of this income stream. This mindset probably stems from the lingering painful memories of the burst of the economic bubble and a lack of sufficient investment education. Sometimes, when I bring up investing, people react grimly, as if I'd confessed to amassing a huge debt playing poker. Even while watching everyday news, they sometimes express concern for my financial well-being. It's not that they're uneducated; they're simply indifferent to investing, and perfectly content with that. Things might change in the future, but that's the general sentiment in Japan right now.

However, the government's introduction of the NISA (Nippon Individual Savings Account) program has sparked increased interest in investing, particularly among younger generations. Yet, given the uncertain future of the Japanese economy, many are opting to invest in foreign markets with higher growth potential, primarily the United States.

My portfolio is also heavily weighted towards US stocks. My interest lies in the space industry, and since the most promising companies in that sector are foreign, I hold very few domestic stocks. With most of my assets allocated to investments and minimal funds in savings accounts, my portfolio composition is quite unusual for a Japanese person.