Young Women Are Rapidly Leaving Rural Japan: 17 Prefectures See Over 3% Annual Decline as They Flock to Cities for Compelling Reasons
In places like Kochi Prefecture, the number of young women plummeted by an astonishing 4.5% in just one year.
The exodus of women from rural areas to urban centers is gaining momentum. Between 2022 and 2023, 17 prefectures reported a drop of more than 3% in women in their 20s, with Kochi Prefecture suffering a steep 4.5% decline. Meanwhile, cities like Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, and Osaka are seeing a rise in young female residents. The gender gap is stark, too—in four prefectures, mostly in northern Kanto, there are 85 or fewer women for every 100 men in their 20s and 30s.
Why are young women packing up and heading to the cities? Education plays a part, but the biggest driver is the lack of rewarding jobs in rural areas. Career options there are slim—think agricultural co-ops, local government offices, post offices, supermarkets, or small businesses—and these roles are often seen as just placeholders until marriage. After tying the knot, women are expected to juggle housework, childcare, and in-law duties, leaving their own ambitions on the back burner. Dreaming of a career as an IT engineer, fashion designer, or media star? In rural Japan, even prefectural capitals can’t make those dreams a reality.
Job Scarcity and Gender Inequality
“If I’d stayed in my hometown after high school, my future would’ve been locked in. Want to work at a flashy company like the ones in TV commercials? You’ve got to move to the city—there’s no other option,” says a woman in her 30s from Nagano, now thriving at a top advertising agency.
Staying local also means enduring constant nagging: “When are you getting married?” or “No baby yet?” It’s enough to make anyone feel trapped. Cities offer a different vibe—staying single is perfectly fine, and Tokyo leads the pack with the highest rate of unmarried women. With no decent jobs and a glaring gender gap back home, it’s only natural that more women are chasing a fulfilling life in urban areas.
Local governments are starting to panic. Fewer young women mean fewer babies, which speeds up depopulation. The Population Strategy Council, a group of private experts, warns that by 2050, about 40% of Japan’s municipalities could see their young female population cut in half, putting them at risk of disappearing entirely. Even in Tokyo, rural spots like Hinohara Village and Okutama Town are feeling the strain.
Low Female Participation in Matchmaking Events
Desperate to keep women around, at-risk municipalities are hosting matchmaking events and boosting support for childbirth and parenting—but it’s not working. Dating parties barely attract any women. The Nagano woman explains why: “They’re trying to stop population decline, so they expect women to have kids. But that pressure is exactly why we leave rural areas. No wonder these events are a bust. They should focus on jobs—set up remote work options or offer tax perks for living between the city and countryside. They need to turn rural areas into places where women can actually build careers.”
Japan’s population decline and the fading of small towns aren’t easy to fix. Instead of clinging to struggling villages, the real priority should be giving women more ways to live and work in rural areas. That’s the key to a brighter future.
