About

Welcome to Smart Money Asia, a personal finance and investment resource for expats. I’m Martin Phillips. I came to Japan in 1997 on the JET Program and never made it back home. After two years of living like a rockstar in a small village in Tottori Prefecture, I slowly gravitated towards Tokyo. Now I live in Yokohama.

I started working in the financial planning business in 2002 and am a U.K. Certified Financial Planner. Over the years, I have met hundreds of people from different backgrounds, countries, and walks of life, all wrestling with one or more of these basic issues: saving money for retirement and their kids, protecting themselves from financial mishaps, buying a home, caring for ageing parents, dealing with the taxman, and trying to become financially free.

The purpose of this site is not to sell investments or products to plug these needs. The way people access financial services is changing rapidly and there has never been a better time to take control of our own financial destiny. The mission here is to provide a resource to help foreign residents in Japan, and elsewhere in Asia, to do just that.

Along with financial planning and coaching, I also work as a freelance writer. I write about macro themes and stocks with a focus on the Japanese market. I also cover crypto and other major investing trends.

Previously, I wrote content on Japanese and international stocks for IG Securities Limited. That work can still be viewed here. The articles were written in English and translated into Japanese. I am open to freelance writer positions so feel free to reach out via the contact form.

Constructive comments on the site are always welcome and please feel free to share anything you find useful. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog is not intended as investment advice, and should not be considered as such. Any ideas and strategies discussed should never be implemented without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a professional financial adviser. Readers are encouraged to ask questions, do their own research, and make their own decisions.