Tokyo was crowded when I was there, must be more crowded now

[theking]

Japan offering families $7,600 per child to move out of Tokyo

Japan is offering families 1 million yen (approximately $7,627) per child to move out of Tokyo in hopes of reducing overcrowding.

An additional 700,000 yen (approximately $5,339) was added to what was originally 300,000 yen (approximately $2,288) due to the heightened concentration of people in the country’s capital. With a population of 125.7 million, 28 percent of Japan's population (approximately 35 million) is focused in Tokyo and its neighboring areas of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba.

The Japanese government’s fear of overcrowding stems from increasing risks for potential earthquakes. In 2019, Japan’s Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion emphasized a 47 percent chance of a strong earthquake in Tokyo within the next 30 years.

Officials’ fears were confirmed this October when a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s capital. In March, Japan’s northeast coast faced a 7.4 magnitude earthquake, leaving four dead and thousands without power.