In a radical move to combat its spiralling national birth rate, the Japanese government is launching an ambitious scheme to persuade its citizens to abandon the bright lights of Tokyo for a life in the countryside.
The new policy, approved by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet, will offer families a substantial financial incentive of ¥1 million (approximately £5,300) per child if they relocate from the capital's metropolitan area to more rural regions.
A Nation in Demographic Decline
This urgent policy comes as Japan faces a critical population crisis. The nation's birth rate has plummeted to a record low, with the number of newborns falling below 800,000 for the first time in 2022—a precipitous drop from the peak of over two million just after World War II.
Prime Minister Kishida has declared that tackling the dwindling birthrate is an issue that "cannot wait and cannot be postponed." The government's goal is not just to increase births but to reverse the intense urbanisation that has seen young people flock to Tokyo, leaving vast swathes of the country depopulated and ageing.
More Than Just a Cash Payment
While the headline-grabbing ¥1 million per child payment is a key incentive, the support package is more comprehensive. The scheme, which builds upon an existing relocation programme, is primarily targeted at couples in their 20s and 30s who are considering starting a family.
To qualify, families must move out of the greater Tokyo area—which encompasses the city and its surrounding prefectures—and into a participating regional town or village. Furthermore, they must either already be employed in their new community, secure a job there, or commit to starting their own business. The payment is also not instantaneous; half is disbursed immediately upon relocation, with the remaining half paid after living in the new area for at least five years.
Addressing the Root Causes
Experts suggest that the high cost of urban living, exceedingly long working hours, and a lack of childcare support in cities like Tokyo are significant factors suppressing the birth rate. This new initiative aims to alleviate those pressures by offering families a lower cost of living, more space, and potentially a better work-life balance in rural prefectures.
The success of the policy, however, remains to be seen. It faces the immense challenge of convincing a generation accustomed to the convenience and opportunities of one of the world's greatest megacities to trade it for a quieter life. The government hopes that this substantial financial push will be the catalyst needed to rebalance the country's population and secure a future for its rural heartlands.
