Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Tokyo experienced a decline in its population for the first time in recent history.
The Japanese government is launching a new program in April 2021 that aims to encourage families to move from larger cities to declining small towns and villages throughout the country. As part of the program, families who agree to relocate will be eligible to receive a financial incentive of one million yen per child. This is seen as a major effort by the government to address Japan’s declining population and revitalize smaller communities that have been struggling in recent years.
The government’s decision to offer this incentive is rooted in the belief that by moving more people to smaller towns and villages, it can help to stimulate economic growth and revitalize these declining communities. Additionally, the program is seen as a way to address the issue of overcrowding in larger cities like Tokyo, which have experienced significant population growth in recent years.
The move comes at a time when Japan is facing a number of demographic challenges, including an aging population and a declining birth rate. These trends have had a significant impact on the country’s economy and have led to concerns about Japan’s future prospects. The government hopes that by encouraging more people to move to smaller towns and villages, it can help to mitigate some of these negative impacts and support the long-term viability of these communities.
While the relocation fee incentive is expected to be well-received by many families, it remains to be seen how successful it will be in encouraging people to move out of larger cities and into smaller communities. Still, it is a unique and innovative approach that could potentially have a positive impact on Japan’s population and economy in the long run.
In an effort to lower population density in Tokyo and revitalize declining small towns and villages, Japan’s government is offering a financial incentive of one million yen per child to families living in certain areas of the city who agree to relocate. This payment is in addition to the nearly three million yen in financial support that is already available for this purpose. The program is targeted at families living in the 23 “core” wards of Tokyo, as well as in Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa. The government hopes that this initiative will encourage more people to move out of the city and into less fashionable areas of the country that have been impacted by declining populations due to migration. The program is set to launch in April 2021 and is part of a larger effort to address Japan’s declining population and stimulate economic growth in smaller communities.
In order to be eligible for the financial incentive of one million yen per child, families must relocate outside of the greater Tokyo area or to certain mountainous regions. The program is supported by around 1,300 municipalities and requires that families live in their new homes for a minimum of five years, with at least one member of the household employed or planning to start a new business during that time. The funding for the program will be split evenly between the central government and local municipalities. This initiative is part of Japan’s efforts to lower population density in Tokyo, encourage people to move to declining small towns and villages, and stimulate economic growth in these areas.
