Before looking at any individual listing, it pays to understand the municipality. This guide walks through the indicators this site publishes for every municipality of Japan and how to interpret them together.
The six core indicators
Population trend (1990–2050): the long arc, combining Population Census actuals with the IPSS projection. A line that already turned down before 2020 signals entrenched decline.
Share of population aged 65+: a high share means more pressure on local services and a thinner future workforce. The 2020 national figure is roughly 28.6%.
Net migration (inflow minus outflow): the most current signal of local momentum, from the Basic Resident Register. Positive net migration in a small town is notable.
Akiya (vacancy) rate, private rent, and our composite scores round out the picture — see the dedicated guides for the akiya and rent caveats.
Combining indicators
No single number decides anything. A town with a high vacancy rate but positive net migration and stable projection is a very different proposition from one with high vacancy and accelerating decline. Read the indicators as a set, and compare similar-sized neighbours (each municipality page links to five).
This guide explains how to read official statistics and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice. For decisions on purchasing property in Japan, consult a qualified professional.
Explore the data
FAQ
- Which single indicator matters most?
- None in isolation. Net migration is the most current, the 2050 projection is the most forward-looking, but they should be read together with rent and vacancy.
- What is a 'good' net migration figure?
- Context matters: a small positive figure in a rural town can be more meaningful than a larger one in a big city. Normalise mentally by population size.
- Are the composite scores official?
- No — the Investment Attractiveness and Relocation Suitability scores are this site's own 0–100 indices, based on the 2020 Census. See About for the formula.
Operator and full source list: About chiiki-data.