Japan, where the population has been declining since its peak in 2008, is the world's pioneer in dealing with population decline and aging. Population shrinkage and graying are causes and also results of demographic differentials between regions. Urban-nonurban differentials are especially pronounced in Japan. Greater Tokyo alone accounts for more than a quarter of the nation's population. Measures for revitalizing non-metropolitan regions are the centerpiece of the Government's program for tackling Japan's demographic challenges. This paper shows the outline of Japan's strategy and programs for overcoming population decline and vitalizing local economies.
