Tokyo residents bidding farewell to the capital

thomas · 21 Mar 2022

The Guardian on Tokyo's shrinking population: 2021 was the first year that saw the number of inhabitants in Japan's capital decline. The Coronavirus pandemic has convinced many people to try their luck elsewhere. Rural communities and the Hometown Return Support Centre, a nonprofit, help people relocate to the countryside.

[...] according to Takahashi, would-be emigrants from big cities cite quality of life, childcare services and the cost of living more frequently than teleworking in explaining their desire to start a new life in the regions. Changes in Japan's economy had encouraged more people to leave the capital, he said. "During the postwar years, people dreamed of living in Tokyo," he said. "Japan achieved its economic transformation, but in the 30 years since the bubble burst, life is more uncertain and Tokyo has lost some of its attraction. Now more people dream of leaving." Takahashi believes the "goodbye Tokyo" trend will continue long after the pandemic has ended. "In the past, work was all that mattered, but now families are thinking about their living environment, too. People's values have changed."

Why are Tokyo residents saying sayōnara to Japan’s capital?

Population of world’s most populous city fell in 2021 for first time in more than 25 years, thanks in part to the pandemic

www.theguardian.com

"Areas in the suburbs of Tokyo were conspicuously popular in 2020, but other destinations around the country gained popularity in 2021," a representative said. Particularly popular were prefectures whose governments worked with municipalities to help arrivals through fairs and other consultation events. Opinions from people who have actually settled in those communities also work in their favour, the representative added.

Center: Record high inquiries about moving to countryside | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Here are the most popular prefectures for relocation:

Shizuoka Prefecture: the most popular relocation destination for the second straight year
Fukuoka Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
Nagano Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture
Tochigi Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
Kyoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture

Though we are not living in Tokyo, we have often pondered moving to the country, for various reasons. Hm, more food for thought...

Link:

ふるさと回帰支援センター・東京

【日本最大の移住相談窓口】移住のことならふるさと回帰支援センター・東京におまかせ。東京・有楽町の交通会館に44都道府県1政令市の相談員が常駐。地方都市や田舎暮らしのおすすめはどこ？物件の探し方は？など、ライフスタイル別移住先が見つかります。

www.furusatokaiki.net

Hiroyuki Nagashima · 21 Mar 2022

I live in Fukuoka from Tokyo for these two years, too.
I did a final income tax return this month in the tax office of Tokyo in e-tax.
As there is still the resident's card in Tokyo, I pay the local government of Tokyo residence tax.

mdchachi · 21 Mar 2022

thomas said:
The Guardian on Tokyo's shrinking population: 2021 was the first year that saw the number of inhabitants in Japan's capital decline. The Coronavirus pandemic has convinced many people to try their luck elsewhere. Rural communities and the Hometown Return Support Centre, a nonprofit, help people relocate to the countryside.

Why are Tokyo residents saying sayōnara to Japan’s capital?

Population of world’s most populous city fell in 2021 for first time in more than 25 years, thanks in part to the pandemic

www.theguardian.com

Center: Record high inquiries about moving to countryside | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Here are the most popular prefectures for relocation:

Shizuoka Prefecture: the most popular relocation destination for the second straight year

Fukuoka Prefecture

Yamanashi Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture

Gunma Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

Kanagawa Prefecture

Yamaguchi Prefecture

Kagoshima Prefecture

Kyoto Prefecture

Kumamoto Prefecture

Niigata Prefecture

Though we are not living in Tokyo, we have often pondered moving to the country, for various reasons. Hm, more food for thought...

Link:

ふるさと回帰支援センター・東京

【日本最大の移住相談窓口】移住のことならふるさと回帰支援センター・東京におまかせ。東京・有楽町の交通会館に44都道府県1政令市の相談員が常駐。地方都市や田舎暮らしのおすすめはどこ？物件の探し方は？など、ライフスタイル別移住先が見つかります。

www.furusatokaiki.net

I'm surprised Saitama isn't on the list. Maybe it's not far enough to be considered.

Grandpa Frank · 21 Mar 2022

At my age , I want to live as close as possible to a good hospital.

mdchachi · 21 Mar 2022

Uncle Frank said:
View attachment 86046 At my age , I want to live as close as possible to a good hospital.

Best to be in walking distance. That one ambulance ride will cost you at least $1000.

Grandpa Frank · 21 Mar 2022

I just read an article about a helicopter ambulance costing $8000US for a one way trip.

Hiroyuki Nagashima · 21 Mar 2022

Change (1996-2018) of the number of the doctors per population.

As for the doctor, there is much West Japan.
The Meiji Restoration seems to be related for a reason.

There is a shortage of doctors around Tokyo such as Saitama, Tochigi, and Kanagawa.

都道府県別総医師数 - とどラン

西日本に比べて医師が少ない東日本で東京だけ局所的に医師が多いのが目立っている　総医師数（人口1000人あたり）　全国平均2.59人　1位徳島3.47人　2位京都3.41人　3位東京3.28人　4位高知3.27人　5位鳥取3.26人　6位岡山3.21人　7位長崎3.21人…45位千葉2.01人　46位茨城1.97人　47位埼玉1.76人

todo-ran.com

musicisgood · 21 Mar 2022

Sadly the irs is after u s
americans be ware the irs i s after you all.

Grandpa Frank · 21 Mar 2022

I had a patient for about a year. The first day with him , I noticed a stack of mail from the IRS , all unopened. For the whole year with him , he got a notice almost every week with threats of punishment. He said trash them , they were just bull. As far as I know , until the day he died , the IRs did nothing but send the notices and there were no punishments. From what I hear , they are way understaffed and behind a year or two on most things. I think I would ignore them and take my chances nothing would happen.

Petaris · 22 Mar 2022

Uncle Frank said:
I just read an article about a helicopter ambulance costing $8000US for a one way trip.

View attachment 86048

My Dad needed one from one hospital to another, bigger hospital, it was $15k USD one way.

thomas · 22 Mar 2022

Hiroyuki Nagashima said:
I live in Fukuoka from Tokyo for these two years, too.
I did a final income tax return this month in the tax office of Tokyo in e-tax.
As there is still the resident's card in Tokyo, I pay the local government of Tokyo residence tax.

Nagashima san, did you choose to live in Fukuoka or were you posted there?

Hiroyuki Nagashima · 22 Mar 2022

thomas said:
Nagashima san, did you choose to live in Fukuoka or were you posted there?

As a parent is old, I live in Fukuoka together.
If a corona is settled, I am going to come back to Tokyo.
However, a telework is too comfortable, and it is hard.
The apartment of Tokyo is 27 ㎡, but the parents' house of Fukuoka is 3305.78 ㎡

salyavin · 24 Mar 2022

This could be great for taking care of family. I worry about my wife's parents who are getting older and I took their daughter to the other side of the planet. Even just a week ago they offered me land and a house across the street. I don't work for that company three companies ago and there is no office in that area now.

That hous is 3305 square meters or the lot? My house in the US is fairly large and is 411 square meters or 124 tsubo much larger than our families Kyushuu (Nagasaki-ken) house even family in Fukuoka ken don't have a house that big that I have seen.

mdchachi · 24 Mar 2022

That's about the same size as 二の丸御殿 (Ninomaru Palace within Nijo Castle). Maybe his ancestors were 大名.

musicisgood · 24 Mar 2022

Uncle Frank said:
View attachment 86052 I had a patient for about a year. The first day with him , I noticed a stack of mail from the IRS , all unopened. For the whole year with him , he got a notice almost every week with threats of punishment. He said trash them , they were just bull. As far as I know , until the day he died , the IRs did nothing but send the notices and there were no punishments. From what I hear , they are way understaffed and behind a year or two on most things. I think I would ignore them and take my chances nothing would happen.

True, they are. October 19, 2019 I sent in a wrong paper. Benefits Planner: Retirement | Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) | SSA
The US Embassy in Tokyo contacted me and said / educated me a little about WEP. I actually never know anything about. So now because Kokumin Nenkin is taxed by the US IRS, the amount I owe will now be taken out of my Social Security. I know there are some Americans here that probably know more about this then me.

Grandpa Frank · 24 Mar 2022

I am so lucky my wife does the taxes and not me. We have been using TurboTax for about 15 years and never had any issue so far. When we first got married , I bought a lot of stocks & bonds but got rid of them just because they made doing taxes more difficult to me.

mdchachi · 25 Mar 2022

musicisgood said:
True, they are. October 19, 2019 I sent in a wrong paper. Benefits Planner: Retirement | Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) | SSA
The US Embassy in Tokyo contacted me and said / educated me a little about WEP. I actually never know anything about. So now because Kokumin Nenkin is taxed by the US IRS, the amount I owe will now be taken out of my Social Security. I know there are some Americans here that probably know more about this then me.

The tax treaty prevents double taxation so I guess the reason you have to pay the U.S. is because your nenkin isn't taxed by Japan?

salyavin · 25 Mar 2022

Yea that would be interesting to know.

musicisgood · 25 Mar 2022

mdchachi said:
The tax treaty prevents double taxation so I guess the reason you have to pay the U.S. is because your nenkin isn't taxed by Japan?

Since the Embassy doesn't give out tax information, I think you are right. So all this back taxes will now come out of my Social Security. I'll know soon when the Embassy sends back my Certificate of Nenkin.

Tokyo residents bidding farewell to the capital

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Sailing away...

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