How to Survive as a Programmer

If you're a programmer in advanced countries, especially Japan, do you make any plans how to survive in the IT industry? Almost all Japanese IT guys would think they have to become a manager or a project leader. However, Mitsuyuki Komata addresses the plan is not only one. Some programmers should or must be professional.
I agree with his opinion partially, because there are very few professional programmers in Japan. Almost all programmers quit to compose their program during the junior class. They become project leaders or managers, they don't compose. However I saw many professional senior programmers in USA. They're also good project leaders or managers. I think it'd be the reason of the weakness of IT industry in Japan.