A great incentive to get out of town. As reported in an article by the Japanese press agency Kyodo, the Japanese government will offer up to 1 million yen per child, or approximately 7,300 euros, to all families moving from the Tokyo metropolitan area starting in April.
Objective of this proposal: to reduce population concentration in the capital region, but also to repopulate neglected rural areas of the country.
1,300 municipalities affected
A testament to Japan’s desire to make things happen, this new sum adds to the 3 million yen in financial support already given to relocating families. This incentive affects in particular the inhabitants of the 23 districts of Tokyo that make up the central metropolitan area, but also some neighboring prefectures such as Saitama, Chiba or Kanagawa.
Opposite, 1,300 municipalities participate in this program and await their new inhabitants and their children. They are located outside the Japanese metropolitan areas and suffer for the most part from the departure of young people to the big cities. To this must be added the aging of the population, combined with a low birth rate for all of Japan.
As has been pointed out by guardian, the payment of this sum is logically subject to several conditions. Thus, families must live at least five years in their new accommodation and, otherwise, they must return the assigned sum. In addition, it is also requested that at least one of the family members work in a business in the region, or open a new business locally.
By 2027, authorities expect 10,000 people to have moved from Tokyo to these rural townships.
Source: BFM TV
