Consider what exactly your support network will offer. The US is a different place than it was 15-20 years ago. Even the simple fact of feeding you/your kids an extra meal can be a drain on your family (due to inflation). If you are starting a family, consider the cost of good healthcare, doctors, etc. On top of that, good education is getting pricey - either because you need to be in a really good school district, or because you are opting for private school.

We raised four kids, the last two are entering college. I can tell you that in any other “developed” nation, I’d also have a million+ dollar retirement account.

I thought there was no such thing as PR in Japan? Asking because my daughter who is graduating in a year (Japanese and Linguistics) wants to move there, but she feels as though her future will always be uncertain.