Yamanashi's Vision for the Future

Nestled at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture seeks to become the blueprint for Japan's regional revitalization and restore hope for future generations, by promoting education, investment, innovation and its natural beauty.

- Daniel de Bomford and Bernard Thompson

At the foot of Mt. Fuji lies a land akin to Togenkyo, a fabled paradise of peach blossoms and harmony. Today, Yamanashi Prefecture is aiming to turn that myth of Togenkyo into reality. The prefecture is cultivating a garden beneath Mt. Fuji, a living and breathing landscape where education, technological innovation and sustainability flourish in unison with the lush green forests, pristine waterways and towering mountains that encompass Yamanashi. It is a place where technology and nature will nurture each other, forming a blueprint for what regional revitalization can and should be.

Confronting Japan's Challenges

It is a vision driven by necessity. Japan is facing a demographic emergency: by 2040, up to 30 percent of municipalities may disappear due to depopulation. Yamanashi is no exception. Governor Kotaro Nagasaki attributes the population decline to uncertainty among younger generations, especially around their future prospects. “Without a strong belief in stable future income and standard of living, they are understandably hesitant to start families,” he says.

The prefecture’s own research shows a significant gap in household income between those who had children 20 years ago and those who have their first child today. Nagasaki attributes this to Japan's economic boom and economic security, when couples could reliably expect their social and personal earnings to increase over time. After a prolonged period of economic stagnation, young people can't rely on automatic income growth, and Nagasaki points to this uncertainty as a significant influence on marriage and childbearing.

The solution? Rebuilding social confidence.

"In Yamanashi, we're promoting a model where 'if you work hard, it pays off," Nagasaki says.

Building a Society Where Effort Pays Off