Japanese government paying over $4000 to people who move out of Tokyo to take up jobs in rural areas

Japan's Prime Minister engaging officials of Miyada in Nagano Prefecture during his visit on Saturday | CREDIT: POOL / VIA JIJI

Tokyo residents who relocate to any of the 23 special wards of the Japanese capital to settle and find work in areas other than Tokyo’s three immediate neighbors — Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures are eligible to earn up to ¥600,000 ($4,036), according to a latest report.

People who move out of Tokyo into any of the listed areas and living alone each receive up to ¥600,000 ($4,036), while households get up to ¥1 million each. Additionally, a sum of ¥1 million is disbursed to each member of a household under the age of 18.

The Japanese government has announced plans to extend the program as it aims to tackle labour shortage in regional areas.

The city of proper Tokyo alone has a population of around 14 million people while the Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Tokyo and surrounding regions, has a population of over 37 million.

And, the government of the East Asian country has unveiled plans to encourage people to move to rural areas to take up jobs at a financial benefit.

The 2025 fiscal policy of the government includes a plan to expand the financial aid given to individuals who move out of Tokyo to live and find work in rural areas.

People who take up jobs in agriculture, medicine and welfare, or become self-employed will qualify for the aid with the expansion. For now, the aid program is available chiefly to people who are employed by small regional firms, according to sources familiar with the matter.