Tokyo has about 35 million inhabitants, and the pressure on public facilities is increasing. Photo: Sopa/Lightrocket/Getty
Last year, Tokyo’s population fell for the first time, partly due to the corona pandemic. With some 35 million people, it is still the largest metropolis in the world, and the pressure on space and public facilities is considerable. That is why policymakers believe more needs to be done to alleviate urban population density and encourage people to start a new life in ‘unhip’ parts of the country, which are affected by aging, shrinking populations and the exodus of young people to Tokyo, Osaka and other major cities.