Japan’s government is offering ¥1m ($7,500) per child to families who move out of greater Tokyo, in an attempt to reverse population decline in the regions.
The incentive – a dramatic rise from the previous relocation fee of ¥300,000 – will be introduced in April, according to Japanese media reports, as part of an official push to breathe life into declining towns and villages.
Although Tokyo’s population fell for the first time last year– a trend partly attributed to the coronavirus pandemic – policymakers believe more should be done to lower the city’s population density and encourage people to start new lives in “unfashionable” parts of the country that have been hit by ageing, shrinking populations and the migration of younger people to Tokyo, Osaka and other big cities.
The payment – which comes on top of up to ¥3m already available in financial support – will be offered to families living in the 23 “core” wards of Tokyo and the neighbouring commuter-belt prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa.
Japan
Japan
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... o-families
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Japan
Japan’s PM escapes explosion unharmed after suspected attack
Man detained after what looked like a smoke bomb was thrown at Fumio Kishida just before speech
Justin McCurry in Osaka and agencies
Sat 15 Apr 2023 11.46 BST
The Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has escaped unhurt after he was apparently targeted by an explosive device on Saturday morning. It comes less than a year after the country’s former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was shot dead while making a campaign speech.
Kishida was safely evacuated after the incident, while a suspect – named by Japanese media as Ryuji Kimura, 24, a resident of Hyogo prefecture – was arrested at the scene, reports said.
Kishida was visiting Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture, western Japan, to support his ruling Liberal Democratic party’s candidate in a local election when a device exploded.
TV footage showed what appeared to be a pipe- or smoke-bomb flying through the air in Kishida’s direction moments before he was due to start his speech. He was shielded by security personnel, while a video clip appeared to show a fisherman tussling with the suspect.
Kishida was seen standing with his back to the crowd in TV footage. When members of his security detail suddenly pointed to the ground near him, he turned around, looking alarmed. The camera quickly switched to the crowd as several people, including uniformed and plainclothes police officers, converged on the suspect, who was wearing a white surgical mask and holding what appeared to be a long silver tube.
As they collapsed on top of the man and tried to remove the tube from his hands, a large explosion was heard near where Kishida had been standing. The crowd scattered in panic as police dragged the man away.
The explosion sent out plumes of white smoke. Footage and photos from the scene showed a silver, pipe-like object on the ground, but it was not immediately clear whether it had caused the blast.
Japan’s public broadcaster NHK said no one was injured in the attack, and Kishida was taken to the Wakayama prefectural police headquarters.
When he resumed his campaign speeches, Kishida said: “Police are investigating the details of the loud explosive sound at the previous speech venue. I am sorry for causing concern to many people. We are in the middle of an important election for our country. We must carry on together.”
Parliamentary byelections and local elections are being held in Japan later this month.
The incident comes only nine months after Abe – Japan’s longest-serving prime minister – was assassinated while delivering a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. The assassination shocked Japan, where gun crime is rare. An investigation found serious flaws in Abe’s security and led to heightened security around politicians and other public figures.
Saturday’s attack occurred as Japan, which holds the G7 presidency, prepared to host a series of international summits, beginning with a meeting of foreign ministers this Sunday and culminating ina leaders’ summit in Hiroshima in May.
Isao Itabashi, an anti-terrorism expert at the Council for Public Policy, told NHK: “The fact that an incident like this happened at this time must be taken seriously.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... last-heard
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Reuters
Japan's birth rate declined for the seventh consecutive year in 2022 to a record low, the health ministry said, underscoring the sense of crisis gripping the country as the population shrinks and ages rapidly
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-paci ... 023-06-02/
Japan's birth rate declined for the seventh consecutive year in 2022 to a record low, the health ministry said, underscoring the sense of crisis gripping the country as the population shrinks and ages rapidly
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-paci ... 023-06-02/
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Japan
I use to live in Japan 1979-82 at Camp Zama. My youngest son was born there and then we went to the hospital. Unfortunately in order for the military to issue a birth certificate the baby had to be actually born in a military facility and Brian arrived before we got there. I woke up at 5:15am with a big cramp and he was born at 6:00am. It took me 6 months going through the American Embassy in Tokyo to get that child a birth certificate. What a PITA !
Aside from that I loved Japan and the Japanese culture. We were supposed to go to Australia & Japan this summer but my sister-in-law in London got sick so we went there instead. But it’s still on the list! The prettiest time of year is springtime when the cherry blossoms bloom, so beautiful! When all those petals fall it looks like pink snow covering the ground.
Aside from that I loved Japan and the Japanese culture. We were supposed to go to Australia & Japan this summer but my sister-in-law in London got sick so we went there instead. But it’s still on the list! The prettiest time of year is springtime when the cherry blossoms bloom, so beautiful! When all those petals fall it looks like pink snow covering the ground.
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AND the Bon Odori festivals
ETA… I actually lost my then 2-year-old son at one of those festivals. I’ve never been so terrified in all my life. His little hand just slipped away in the crowd and boom, he was gone. Two very long hours later I finally found him. He was eating a Popsicle he said “a nice man bought it for me”.
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Japan
Kyoto bans tourists from parts of geisha district amid reports of bad behaviour
Gion residents asked city council to crack down after rise in tourist numbers leads to increased harassment of traditional entertainers
Justin McCurry in Tokyo
Fri 8 Mar 2024 05.26 CET
Visitors to the geisha district of Gion – one of Kyoto’s most popular sightseeing spots – will be banned from entering its picturesque alleyways as authorities in Japan attempt to tackle a dramatic rise in tourism.
Residents of Japan’s ancient capital have struggled to reconcile the financial boost from a return to pre-pandemic visitor numbers with overcrowding and incidents of bad behaviour among tourists.
Gion, where geiko and maiko traditional entertainers can be spotted on their way to evening teahouse appointments, is regularly targeted by smartphone-wielding visitors, some of whom ignore signs requesting that they keep their distance and refrain from touching the women’s expensive kimonos. There have also been complaints about people trespassing on private property.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/ ... t-ban-gion
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