Overview

• Following rising tensions over his proposal to leave Tokyo, Yamada and his wife adopted sotsukon, a practice keeping them married but living separately.
• He used his pension to renovate a countryside home but soon struggled with basic household tasks and relied on instant noodles and frozen meals.
• Yamada reports feeling lonely and regretful since the move and maintains limited contact with his wife and their sons.
• Meanwhile, Keiko has opened a handmade workshop in Tokyo and is reportedly thriving alongside their two sons.
• The viral account of their living apart arrangement has fueled public debate about retirement choices, evolving marriage norms and the practical impact of domestic skill gaps.