How should we draw up a grand design for Japan, where the population is declining? This is a crucial theme that will determine the fate of the nation.
I think that many people, including myself, would prefer to maintain the status quo. However, unfortunately, I also know that this is wishful thinking. As the population is declining dramatically, it is impossible to maintain the status quo, and we must change, whether we like it or not. Furthermore, we must take that first step right now, or it will be too late. Even if we draw up a magnificent grand design, if we don’t start while the population is still at a reasonable level, we won’t be able to achieve what we can.
I believe that a decentralized cooperative society based on compact cities is a realistic solution. In recent years, many books have been published on the theme of population decline, but when I read them, most of them aim for compact cities.
There is a theory that a population of 100,000 in one area is enough to maintain social functions. There is also a theory that it is good to create areas of 300,000 people in each area and make them compact and wide-area based on these. There are various views, but the direction is roughly the same.
However, what concerns me is that they all place emphasis on creating a society centered on urbanization. It is true that in the future, the majority of people will live compactly in urban areas. But what will happen to rural areas? Is it really okay to simply write them off as disappearing municipalities?
Considering the future of Japan, we must increase self-sufficiency rates from the perspective of food security. Even if we can cover our needs with imports now, we do not know what the future holds. If population decline reduces buying power, it is not surprising that some countries will no longer sell to Japan. Such is the nature of market principles. If this is the case, it is essential to revitalize domestic agriculture and fishing. Most agriculture and fishing are carried out in rural areas. We also need measures to achieve harmony between compact cities and rural areas. (Kei Kitajima)

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