This is an archive article published on January 4, 2023
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Japan is offering families millions of yen to move out of Tokyo. Here’s why
Japan plans to boost financial support to households to move away from the capital to combat depopulation in other areas of the country, according to multiple local media reports.
Under the new proposal, a household with two children could receive 3 million yen in support if they left the Tokyo area. (Representational image via Unsplash) Japan plans to boost financial support to households to move away from the capital to combat depopulation in other areas of the country, according to multiple local media reports.
Eligible families in the Tokyo metropolitan area will be able to receive 1 million yen ($7,700) per child starting in the fiscal year 2023 if they move to a disadvantaged local area — more than triple the 300,000 yen incentive already in place, the reports said.
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The financial incentives highlight the challenges that Japan is facing with its low birth rate and long life expectancy. Rural areas have seen rapid depopulation as the young move away for opportunities in cities, leaving the localities dotted with empty homes and contending with dwindling tax revenue.
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