Signal Only eight of Japan's 47 prefectures grew during the high-growth era as Tokyo kept drawing people

Summary

Worldwide, industrialization and urbanization under modernization concentrated people in cities, and the process ran even faster in countries such as Korea and Japan that modernized in compressed form. From 1955 Japan's high-growth period deepened concentration in the three metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. Of Japan's 47 prefectures, only eight gained population during that era: Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, Aichi, Hyogo, Saitama, Chiba and Fukuoka. After high growth ended, migration from the regions to the big metropolitan areas generally eased, yet inflows into the Tokyo area alone continued. Because most movers were young, the regions they left not only ran short of people but also saw the share of older residents rise.