More men in Japan are choosing "lifetime retirement" and moving to the countryside, a phenomenon coined as "Retirement Gentlemen". These men, typically from urban areas, are opting for an early exodus from the corporate world to embrace a slower pace of life, often engaging in agriculture or other rural trades. This trend signals a growing shift away from Japan's traditional work culture, emphasizing more on personal fulfillment and work-life balance.

The concept of lifetime employment has been deeply ingrained in Japanese society for decades. Coupled with the cultural value of perseverance and the post-war economic miracle, this has often resulted in high stress levels and an imbalance in work-life proportion. The rise of "Retirement Gentlemen" is seen as a cultural shift and is often discussed in relation to social values, work culture, demographic changes, and the rural-urban divide.

By contrast, in the US and EU, the cultural shift to prioritize work-life balance began much earlier and continues with flexible working hours, remote work, and value-based career considerations. Transitioning to a rural lifestyle is also common, but it usually takes place later in life, post-retirement, and is less associated with an explicit rejection of corporate life.