Hachiro Koganezawa, 90, farms flowers and vegetables on a plot of land outside Nanmoku in Japan. (Anthony Kuhn/NPR)
Anthony Kuhn/NPR
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Anthony Kuhn/NPR
Hachiro Koganezawa, 90, farms flowers and vegetables on a plot of land outside Nanmoku in Japan. (Anthony Kuhn/NPR)
Anthony Kuhn/NPR
The once-thriving Japanese hamlet of Nanmoku was known for its silk and timber industries. Today, it is the country’s most aged village, with two-thirds of residents over age 65. On today’s show, how the Japanese government is trying to address rural depopulation and attract younger residents to villages like Nanmoku.
Related listening:
Japan had a vibrant economy. Then it fell into a slump for 30 years (Apple / Spotify)
Japan’s ninja shortage
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