Lessons from Japan

The Japanese government recently announced that it would give families a million yen per child, the equivalent of $7500, to move out of Tokyo. Part of the motivation behind this plan is to reduce the population density of Japan’s urban areas. Given the strain the growing rural-to-urban migration has been putting on our resources, our government would do well to take note of this initiative. One only has to look at the state of our cities to tell that they do not have what it takes to manage such large numbers of people. Furthermore, encouraging families to move to smaller towns in the rural areas will help grow the economic base of these regions and provide them with skills and facilities they currently lack. The Japanese policy seems like a great way to reduce the rural-urban divide, inequality, municipal problems and uneven economic growth.

Engr Shahid Samand Mahar

Tharparkar