Greater Tokyo sees net population inflow for 21st year

The number of people who moved into the greater Tokyo area exceeded that of people moving out by 117,868 in 2016, marking a net population inflow for the 21st consecutive year, the internal affairs ministry said Tuesday (1). But the inflow into the eastern Japan area–Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa–fell 1,489 from the previous year, the first drop in five years. The ministry said the greater Tokyo area is expected to continue enjoying a population inflow. As a reason for the slowdown last year, a ministry official said population movements grew less active due to a decrease in young people, who tend to move because of jobs and university enrollments, as the national population kept aging. In contrast to the Tokyo area, the Nagoya and Osaka areas suffered net population outflows for the fourth consecutive year, numbering 2,363 and 9,335, respectively. Source: Jiji Image:...