2016 Volume 125 Issue 4 Pages 507-522
Peripheral regions in Japan have suffered the impacts of out-migration to metropolitan areas since the high-growth period. Today, faced with depopulation, it is more important than ever to have a national policy that promotes reverse migration from metropolitan areas, especially Tokyo, to peripheral regions. At the end of 2014, the Government of Japan introduced the policy “Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy” (in Japanese Chiho-Sosei) and published a national strategy. Local municipalities have also started planning their own strategies to promote in-migration. New trends of in-migration and settlement are emerging in Kyushu. For example, young ICT engineers and designers seeking a better work-life balance are relocating from Tokyo to Kyushu; municipalities are attracting active elderly people with Continuing Care Retirement Communities; and, firms are locating headquarters' functions and back-office operations in large cities in Kyushu. These trends, which help create jobs and slow population decline in Kyushu, are having too small an impact on the centralized urban system of Japan; in other words, they are not reducing “Overconcentration in Tokyo.” Responding to this disparity, and to create significant flows of people and jobs, it is necessary to restructure the regional governance system. However, until now, decentralization has shown little progress.
