The Japanese government will pay you £14,000 to move to its beautiful countryside as part of a relocation scheme aimed at repopulating remote areas of the country
Kinosaki Onsen village at spring in Hyogo, Japan(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Everyone needs a change every now and then, and for some, this could be the perfect opportunity. The Japanese government has announced a relocation scheme under which families could be paid up to ¥3,000,000 (around £14,000) to move to the countryside.
The scheme has been created to repopulate more remote areas of the country, as more than 37% of the population live in the three major metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. A statement from Akiya Japan reads: “The Ministry of Internal Affairs projects that nearly half of Japan’s 1,700+ municipalities could become ‘functionally extinct’ by 2040. The subsidy is the carrot. The stick is demographic reality.”
The eligibility criteria are the same for both Brits and Japanese citizens and are based on where an applicant has lived and worked, rather than their nationality.
A statement adds: “A foreign national who has lived and commuted in the Greater Tokyo Area for 5+ years and holds an appropriate visa (work visa, spouse visa, permanent residency) qualifies on the same terms as a Japanese citizen.”
Sharing news of the scheme on social media, TikTok user @quinn__jp said: “This isn’t a joke. Japan is actually paying people to move to the countryside.
“Here’s how foreigners can benefit too. In many rural towns, you can get up to 600,000 yen if you move solo and up to 1 million per child, plus relocation grants if you’re moving as a family.
“That makes a big dent in your moving and settling costs. Across over 1,300 towns, around 80% of local districts, you’ll find the Akiya Bank, with empty houses listed for zero yen or at very low prices.
“Some free houses need lots of renovation, but many municipalities offer subsidies and renovation support through programmes like Chiiki Okoshi and the Regional Vitalization Cooperator programme.
“You can get placed in local roles, anything from running a guest house to agri-tech positions, with housing and visa guidance included.
“Japan needs people, and fast. With urban migration and population decline, local governments are desperate to attract newcomers with homes, jobs and cash.”
However, there are some practical barriers, including an expectation that applicants understand the Japanese language.
Visa implications can also be complex, while renovation loans and mortgage products may be harder to access for non-permanent residents. However, the subsidies help offset these challenges by reducing the amount that needs financing.
Commenting on the post, one user said: “I’d definitely move to Japan if I had some sort of online income (a safety net) like most influencers have.”
Another user added: “I want to move there so bad but I’m scared and I don’t have my passport.”
A third said: “My dream is to get an old house in Japan and trust me it’s not that easy. Currently looking for any place who’d hire me so I can move there on a work visa.”
