Japan wants people to leave Tokyo to reverse rural depopulation

Japan offers families in Tokyo 1 million yen ( approx. USD 7,600 ) per child to move to a more rural location with the plan to stop the depopulation of the countryside.

This is the latest in a series of ill-advised incentives to stem a relentless influx into the capital, which has seen its population grow by more than 16% in the past two decades despite a nationwide decline in numbers.

However, the government aims for just 10,000 people to participate in the program per year by 2027.

⬇️In the following video we give our opinion on this topic!⬇️

For decades, every Japanese administration has talked about revitalizing the countryside; in fact, there can be few topics that attract so much attention for so little profit.

In recent years, many have postulated that it is a necessity to revitalize the economy. Japan has had a minister in charge of reviving rural areas for the better part of a decade, while one of current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s signature policies is the Digital Garden City, an over-the-top scheme aimed at using technologies like drones and buses. self-employed to overcome the disadvantages of living in the Japanese inaka.

But it will take more than autonomous devices and one-time payments to encourage more than a few people in the Tokyo area to move out.

More and more people are beginning to realize that Tokyo is a very active and walkable metropolis with a world-leading public transportation system, relatively free of the problems of crime, pollution, homelessness, and inequality that plague so many. other giant cities.

The post-pandemic remote work boom could make living in a rural area easier than before, a result that was noted as Tokyo’s first population decline in a quarter century emerged.

The opportunities presented by living so close to many services and entertainment venues is one of the reasons why people go to the capital, despite the disadvantage of living in reduced spaces. Education and better job prospects attract parents and new entrants to the workforce.

It is certainly problematic that much of Japan’s political, economic, and cultural influence is concentrated in Tokyo. The number of companies based elsewhere is dwindling and the risk of an earthquake that could devastate the capital and paralyze the country’s nerve center is ever-present.

What Japan needs is not just more people outside of Tokyo, it needs more cities like Tokyo. Japan should once again put on the table a proposal to consolidate municipalities and create larger and more attractive population centers with the scale advantages of Tokyo, with each city’s own regional differences to attract people.

One-time payments like this could help a family’s bills, but they won’t change the trend of continuing to flock to the metropolis for better services and amenities.