Tokyo: To encourage parents to migrate out of Tokyo, the Japanese government has increased the financial incentive for those who decide to do so.
According to a Financial Times (FT) report, from 300,000 yen earlier, the migrating parents will now receive 1 million yen ($7,600) per child if they move out of the capital.
Tokyo is the world’s largest urban city, with an estimated 38 million people.
The country already has a similar plan for relocation, which provides 300,000 yen per child and 3 million yen as a one-off support payment for those migrating. They may claim more money if they start a business of their own in the suburbs.
The earlier plan has, however, been ineffective, as only 2,400 people opted for it in 2021. This amounts to only 0.006 per cent of Tokyo’s population.
Japan is seeing a rapid change in its demography with a falling birth rate and a high proportion of people above the age of 65 years. On top of that, despite several steps taken by the government, the demographic reality has stuck stubbornly.
