Hoping to stem the region’s population decline, the Japanese government is upping the ante to persuade families in Tokyo to move out of the metropolis.
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It now offers one million yen, equivalent to $10,000 per child, to families leaving Tokyo to settle in the regions. The previous stimulus was 300,000 yen, according to The Guardian, and other financial aid could reach 3 million yen or $30,000.
The metropolitan population declined for the first time last year, largely due to pandemic-related deaths, but elected officials believe they must take action to encourage Japanese to settle in rural areas, where the aging population is growing and decline leading to depopulation.
In Quebec, municipalities in devitalized areas sometimes offer financial benefits to lure families into their homes, but we have yet to see such gestures from the provincial or federal government. For example, in Bellechasse, the municipality of Saint-Philémon has implemented a very favorable housing policy. Families moving there can get up to $500 per person over five years, in addition to a transfer fee exemption and a 30% property tax credit, up to a maximum of $500 per year for five Years. The policy was introduced in 2012 when the population had declined by 21% over the previous 25 years.
Saint-Damien-de-Buckland, the neighboring parish of Saint-Philémon, is offering $10,000 to an owner who will build a residence on land managed by the parish.
In Japan, about 1,300 municipalities, or about 80% of the country’s municipalities, are targeted by government policies and pay half of the financial benefits provided. In order to be able to claim the subsidy, the families must have lived in the region for at least five years, otherwise they have to repay the subsidy received. In addition, at least one member of each family must be working or planning to start a business.
The Japanese government has two goals: revitalizing the regions and relieving pressure on demand for public services in Greater Tokyo, the most populous in the world with 35 million people.
The regional relocation incentives began three years ago and benefited 1,184 families in 2021, compared to 79 in 2019. By 2027, 10,000 Tokyo families are expected to adopt rural areas.
Population projections around the year 2065 show Japan’s population falling by 30% from 125 million to 88 million due to a low birth rate.
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