Ōita Prefecture: Revitalizing Regional Japan Through Culture, Industry and Infrastructure

Ōita Prefecture, located in northeast Kyūshū, is often described as Japan's onsen capital, home to Beppu and Yufuin.

- Kyann Edouard and Cian O'Neill

Yet for Governor Kiichiro Satō, the prefecture's identity cannot be reduced to hot springs alone. As Japan confronts demographic decline, he sees Ōita as a model for how prefectures can sustain vitality while planning realistically for smaller populations.

Today, the prefecture's population has dropped just below 1.1 million, declining by nearly 10,000 annually, mostly due to natural decrease. Satō recognizes the severity of this challenge, but argues that revitalization must come from strategic investment, rather than limiting Tokyo's growth. "The solution," he notes, "is not to stop the capital from developing, but to ensure the regions receive the same bold and strategic investments."

Yufuin Onsen