Editorial

16:34 JST, July 12, 2025

Local governments are facing many challenges, such as depopulation and preparation for large-scale disasters. However, it cannot be said that a light is being shined on these issues amid the House of Councillors election campaign.

The ruling and opposition parties should compete on measures that look squarely at the reality of regional areas.

Japan’s population is declining by about 600,000 every year. Last year, a private panel of experts made headlines when it said that 744 municipalities could disappear in the future due to a decrease in the number of younger women. The outflow of people to urban areas is a serious problem for regional areas.

In an effort to stem the outflow of young people, local governments are racking their brains for measures to combat such issues as the low birth rate, but only a limited number of them........

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