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Continued overcrowding in Tokyo combined with rural depopulation is predicted to have serious long-term consequences for Japan’s society and economy. The Japanese government has therefore positioned regional revitalization as a key policy to address both problems.
In this issue, we introduce examples of how local authorities, organizations and individuals in regions across Japan have responded to a variety of challenges and in doing so brought new levels of vitality to their respective communities.
An interview with Akiko Ito, Director General, Secretariat of the Headquarters for Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy in Japan, Cabinet Secretariat
An initiative launched ten years ago to restore traditional houses in Tamba-Sasayama has transformed the castle town.
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Leveled by the tsunami of March 2011, Onagawa Town has returned to its former vigor through a creative rebuilding plan.
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Iketani Village in Tokamachi, Niigata Prefecture, has achieved more than mere recovery from the 2004 earthquake.
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The dairy farming town of Shikaoi in Hokkaido is creating added value to its main business by making use of animal waste.
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Working alongside the local government, the people of Nagi in Okayama Prefecture have introduced new, more family-friendly ways of working.
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Tagawa City in Fukuoka Prefecture is preparing to host the German wheelchair fencing team in advance of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Northern Akita Prefecture, the home of the Akita inu dog breed, is leveraging its canine attractions to increase tourism to the local area.
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© 2009 Cabinet Office, Government of Japan