Immigration

Immigration is the only quick solution to Japan's declining workforce. But is Japan ready for a large influx of foreigners? The issue of non-Japanese living long-term or even permanently is a controversial topic in modern Japan. Nonetheless,…

Technology and Healthcare

How can technology and healthcare impact rural Japan? By 2050, 40% of the Japanese population will be over 65 years old based on current projections. If young people continue to prefer big city life, rural areas will suffer from fewer people…
Tsurugajo Castle in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima

Government Initiatives

Thus far in our series on examining Japan's rural revitalization, we have discussed energy revitalization as well as efforts to resolve Japan’s real estate challenges. In this piece we will focus on initiatives undertaken by the Government…
Rural real estate in Japan.Parthenon Japan

Real Estate Realities

It is impossible to tackle the issue of Japan’s rural revitalization without addressing the elephant in the room: depopulation of rural areas and the negative effect on local real estate value. Over the past 70 years, Japan’s population…

Achieving Energy Independence

Energy independence is a goal for many nations, especially now with added geopolitical and resource constraints. Due to its external resource reliance, Japan will likely remain a net importer of energy. Yet energy diversification is growing…
Mt. Fuji near HakoneParthenon Japan
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Prologue

"Regional revitalization." If you live in Japan or follow Japan issues closely, you've probably heard this term. The narrative is well established. The Japanese countryside is in bad shape, both in terms of Japan's abandoned house problem and…
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Pt. 9: 2020 Coronavirus and Beyond

Population in 2020: 126 million people Perhaps the most glimmering piece of hope for saving the Japanese countryside came not from government or private initiatives, but the global Coronavirus pandemic that swept the world in 2020. The pandemic…
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Pt. 8: With Disaster came the Spotlight, but People Didn’t Stay

Population in 2011: 128 million people The countryside was all but forgotten until the 3.11 disaster, which put a spotlight on how already-shrinking communities were blindsided by tragedy. The Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster…
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Pt. 7: The Lost Decade and Migration to Cities

Population in 1989: 124 million people The 1989 stock crash marked the end of Japan’s exponential growth, and the real estate market was hit the hardest. Properties lost more than half of their value immediately following this economic disaster. As…