Japan's small towns seek ways to shrink smart -- NHK
Here is a video story from Japan about a scenic-but-shrinking town (Hayakawa) which is facing an exodus of residents.
Hayakawa has seen its population collapse from 10,000 in the 1960 to 800 today, and it struggles to maintain services and infrastructure. Several major facilities (like a public bath) have been closed, and other events designed to bring in tourists are being reevaluated to determine if the benefit is worth the cost.
There are a few innovative ideas discussed, such as public funding for convenience grocery stores to prevent the area from becoming a food desert as other shops close.
Here's a key quote:
An economic policy expert says governments must shift away from focusing on growth. A large-scale development project might sometimes turn the tide, but it's quite risky. We shouldn't pursue such dreams, but make sure services for residents are maintained.
More municipalities are considering how to balance scaling back services and costs and still take care of residents. Dream big, they say. But when it comes to keeping a town running, local officials need to quickly face up to the fact that funds and human resources are extremely thin and take the most appropriate steps to make sure that the quality of life of residents is maintained.
As populations decline so do our ambitions. The population becomes more small-c conservative, in that it wants to try to maintain the services that exist rather than investing in new endeavors.
Some of the issues discussed in this story are raised in the 2023 book The Age of Decay, by Shamil Ismail, which I just finished. I thought it was a compelling look at these issues and hope to post a full review in the coming days.