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Tokyo American Club (TAC) said Wednesday that its total membership now exceeds 3,500 active dues-paying members. This is the first time that club membership has exceeded this level since the beginning of the global financial crisis in 2008 and demonstrates a clear improvement in the economic and business environment in Tokyo, the club said in a press release.
“Since the beginning of 2013, TAC has experienced the most active period of membership growth in the club’s history,” said John Durkin, the club’s representative governor and president. “We are very pleased to welcome so many new members from many diverse backgrounds and countries.”
Durkin added, “With the well-publicized air-quality problems in China and Hong Kong and the marked increase in the cost of living in other Asian business centers, Tokyo is reemerging as the most business-friendly, accessible and livable city in Asia, and we are seeing that reflected in our membership statistics.
“Our many diverse members appreciate Tokyo’s reasonable cost of living, incredible infrastructure, travel convenience at the new international terminal at Haneda Airport and the unique culture of being located in Tokyo. We look forward to the favorable trend continuing in the near future and welcoming more international residents to become members of our community.”
© Japan Today
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Fadamor
I thought the number was low until I saw the entrance fees. For a single "Resident" membership: $26,000 entrance fee, $2,000 refundable deposit, and $200/month dues. Yeeeaaahhhhhhh. Check's in the mail, guys. Honest.
nath
TAC may be popular amongst wealthy expats in Tokyo, but my few visits there have not led me to want to stump up the exorbitant fees.
dcog9065
I was looking at joining earlier this year and had a quick look but the fees didn't exactly seem to justify the services from a quick look on the surface.
Is anyone here a member or know what benefits you get for joining? I know that you can use their gym, restaurants, bars, etc., but if you're paying a premium just for networking, wouldn't it be better to join a chamber of commerce instead or something?
wanderlust
It's also a safe haven for bored expat wives and their children, while their husbands/ fathers are working away. A lot of the corporate expat contracts are required to maintain a life-style similar to that which they had back home, so TAC is one of the few places for that. And the English language environment is fine for them.
JA_Cruise
Membership is up because the initial entrance fees used to be alot more, so really only the elite could become members, or at least those whereby the companies would pay for it.
Get Real
Tokyo business friendly? Quick, give me some TAC juice!
Xeno23
I have fond memories of TAC growing up an expat kid in the 60's and 70's. My family had a membership because my father's company footed the bill. As has been said, it was a great place for family members, because of the many seasonal parties, athletic lessons like swimming and tennis, a bowling alley, movies, summer camps and ski trips, shops featuring American goods; the Sunday buffets were awesome.
One funny thing I remember is that back in the day the Soviet embassy, or one of its satellites, was butt up against the TAC and every once in a while, as we lounged by the pool eating our hamburgers and sipping our milk shakes, we'd see a grim Soviet face or two looking down at us; sometimes kids. We'd laugh and point. Sheesh, what a bunch of brats.