The Year of No Money in Tokyo
American Wayne Aponte left his job during Japan’s worst economic recession in half a century. Although a stranger in a foreign land, Aponte found the experience rewarding. Learn how he came to rely on his own wits and the kindness of others in the autobiographical “The Year of No Money in Tokyo” (ISBN 9780982055007, Watkins and McKay, 2009).
In the 1990s, the Japanese stock market crashed. Banks closed and the country fell into a recession. Wayne Aponte, an African American, was working in Japan during this time. Despite the financial crisis, he chose to quit a job he disliked without having another line of employment in place. He had no idea how difficult the economic situation would become, or how hard it would be for him to find work. But rather than return to the United States, he decided to stick it out in Japan.
Aponte had thought he could easily find another job. Instead, he worked a series of part-time jobs to make ends meet. Eventually, he would learn to reinvent himself as a commodity in the employment market. In the meantime, he learned about the value of human relationships as he experienced kindness from people who assisted him financially. Aponte’s story reminds us that the individual can overcome adversity, and relationships matter more than money. Tokyo and the Japanese people are at the center of Aponte’s story. Readers experience the cramped living conditions the author endured, along with the inconsiderate chatter of his neighbors. Glimpses are given of the business atmosphere in Japan’s corporations. The sights and smells of Tokyo’s streets come to life, and the Japanese people’s determination can be felt as they carry on during the recession as if it were business as usual.
“The Year of No Money in Tokyo” will interest a variety of readers, from economists and financiers, to those concerned with today’s economy, students of Japanese culture, and those who enjoy an uplifting message about hope, human kindness and perseverance. Aponte becomes an example of endurance and success as he reinvents himself to survive. Not one to run from his troubles, Aponte continues to live in Tokyo today.
About the Author
A journalist and teacher, Wayne Lionel Aponte was educated at the University of Rochester and the University of Southern Queensland (Australia). His writing has appeared in several publications, including “The New York Times,” “The Washington Post,” “The Wall Street Journal,” “The Financial Times” (London), and “The Nation.” He has lived in Japan for almost twenty years. His new book is his personal account of struggling and rallying himself in Tokyo, during Japan’s worst financial crisis since World War II.
“The Year of No Money in Tokyo” (ISBN 9780982055007, Watkins and McKay, 2009) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. For more information, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.wayneaponte.com"
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