Japan’s population is shrinking. Big cities are bursting with life, but at the expense of the countryside. Those who flee the hustle and bustle of the city and choose peace find themselves practically relegated to a life of isolation.
After sunrise in the Japanese countryside, a Yokobori family feeds their chickens, which provide them with fresh eggs. French toast is eaten for breakfast. The bread is baked in the oven. Their wood comes from the cedar forest surrounding their home. 10 years ago, Miho worked in an office in Tokyo. Today she runs the household. Hirohito – once a graphic designer – is now a carpenter.
City life lost its luster for them in 2011. Tokyo was paralyzed by the Great Earthquake, Tsunami and pollution in Fukushima. “Everybody panicked, so it was like a war, I’ve never experienced war,” recalls Miho Yokobori, a resident of Kawakami Village. They started a new life in the mountains of Nara Prefecture. The house is located at a distance of one and a half kilometers from the nearest railway station. A car is essential there. Their village is hidden behind winding roads. The trees there are taller than most buildings. The couple visited the neighbors and were shocked to see the age of the villagers. The mayor argues that more than half of the village’s residents are over 65. – 40 years ago, there were about 6,000 people here. Today it is 1,156, says Tadaki Kuriyama, the mayor of Kawagami Village.
In Japan, the population is declining faster in rural areas than elsewhere. Some say depopulation will be complete there. People are dead and abandoned houses are empty. After the construction of barrage and artificial lake 10 years ago, there were floods in some places. “I think people should live in such a nice place,” said village mayor Kaukami. The population figures are alarming – and not just in Kawakami Village. Every local government in Japan predicts a smaller population and higher median age by 2045. Entire villages are on the brink of destruction. Japanese society is shrinking and aging. Too fast its survival is at stake. Japan has few places of population growth.
Population and Retirement Age. TVN24 BiS’s guest is Oskar SobolevskyTVN24 BiS
A common problem
For decades, young Japanese have been leaving their rural towns. They are attracted to big cities like Tokyo and Osaka. All of them are connected by high-speed rail lines. There is no quick fix to Japan’s demographic problems. Tokyo, a city of tall skyscrapers, has a very low birth rate. Japan’s population has been declining for five years. Experts say that if this situation continues, the country will reach an irreversible state. Very few women are of childbearing age. Why do so few women have children? This is due to financial reasons and lack of time, explains Dr. Yuka Okada.
Too bad Tokyo authorities are starting to subsidize egg freezing. They believe that today’s working women will soon become working mothers. Parents in Japan already receive the so-called baby bonus. Thousands of dollars go toward covering expenses. The government-sponsored dating site for singles is powered by artificial intelligence. So far, increasing fertility in Japan has been a losing battle. Yokobori did not follow this route. Kentaro is the first child born to Kawakami in 25 years. Raising a child in the mountains means having no peers to play with. There are only 6 children in the Kindergarten group. The distance to the nearest school is more than two hours. The Yokoboris say it’s okay if their son decides to leave one day. Demographic data shows that more young people are leaving the cities. They are attracted by the low cost of living, clean air and low stress levels. The key question is: Is Japan doing enough to stop the population before it’s too late?
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Main photo source: CNN