Why do people in their 20s move to "the village with the smallest population in Japan"? What is multi-work

"In the future, the population may decrease by one-fifth."

Four years ago, Kawakami Village, Nara Prefecture, was pointed out that the future population will decrease the most in Japan.

In April of this year, a woman in her twenties moved in.

It was the work style called multi-work that the village started to support that decision.

(Nara Broadcasting Station reporter Yuko Oikawa)

“The number one population in Japan will decrease” Kawakami Village

Kawakami Village, Nara Prefecture.

In Nara, it is a mountain village at the headwaters of the river called "Yoshino River" and when you enter Wakayama, it is called "Kinokawa".

The population is over 1100.

In 1960, there were more than 8,000 people, but the population has decreased significantly due to the decline of the forestry industry known as Yoshino cedar.

In 2018, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research pointed out that "the population will decline the most in the country by 2045, and the population may be reduced to one-fifth."

In 2014, the Japan Policy Council, an organization made up of private-sector experts, announced an estimate that it would become one of the local governments that have the potential to disappear in the future.

A woman in her twenties came to the village

Misaki Sakagami (27) from Osaka Prefecture moved to this village in April this year.

She works four days a week in a cafe with an art gallery.

Misaki Sakagami

"I came alone, but I feel like I'm not alone, the kindness of people, nature, and the food are delicious, and it's a nice place.

" What made you decide?

One of them was the multi-work work style that the village works on.

What kind of work is it?

It was Tuesday that I was in close contact with the interview.

Mr. Sakagami was cleaning the hall and preparing food before opening at the cafe in the morning.

During the busy hours of lunch time, we are busy with customer service and serving.

And after 2:00 pm, Mr. Sakagami, who left her cafe, headed for ...

It was a school child nursery school.

It is another workplace of Mr. Sakagami who has a qualification as a childcare worker.

In the evening, we welcomed the children who came after school lessons with a smile, gave them snacks, and took care of their homework.

When asked if it would be difficult to have two jobs ...

Misaki Sakagami

"I enjoy doing it. The cafe talks well with the local people and new customers talk to me. I think it's good because the schoolchildren's nursery school is involved with children.

" Enjoy the great outdoors, such as visiting the waterfalls in the village, between work and work.

It is said that he is busy with two jobs, but he is living a fulfilling life.

Misaki Sakagami

"It's hard to move, whether you have a place to live or just a job. I'm glad I found both of them when I happened to decide to move. I want to enjoy life "

What is multi-work?

Multi-work of Mr. Sakagami's cafe and schoolchild nursery school.

It is a mechanism adopted by the village so that it can provide migrants with a limited "working place" in the village.

Two years ago, the country launched a grant system for areas of rapid population decline across the country.

Let's take a closer look.

Multiple businesses in the village cooperate with each other to establish a new cooperative.

This union acts like a dispatching company and establishes employment relationships with people who live in the village and seek work.

After listening to the needs of both workers and businesses, the union selects two or more offices and sends them out as dispatched staff.

Even if you have multiple workplaces, the working hours are basically 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, and the salary is paid in a lump sum by the union.

Multi-work not only provides migrants with a place to work, but also has great benefits for businesses.

For example, the tourism industry, where the busy season is biased toward summer.

Forestry where work is reduced during heavy rains.

Even if it is difficult for each business operator to hire employees throughout the year, this system allows them to come to work only during the busy season.

The village hopes that it will help secure successors for local businesses in the future.

Mr. Takanori Otsuji, Living and Settlement Division, Kawakami Village

"Multi-work will of course stop the population decline, but I think it will also be necessary to maintain the existing industry. In order to protect the establishments and traditional industries that are doing work that cannot be done, people are absolutely necessary. I think it would be ideal if we could match them well. "

"People don't come just from village housing"

The village has been thinking about countermeasures with that technique until it reaches multi-work.

The trigger was 2012, 10 years ago.

This is a word that was said when I consulted with the person in charge of the prefecture about the construction of village housing.

"Isn't it not that people will come to live by building a village housing?"

We have to think more broadly about how to get people to come to the village.

A study session was set up with about 10 young employees in their 20s and 30s at the government office.

Not only money but also a place to work

And the village's target is the younger generation.

If you get married, a congratulatory money of 100,000 yen.

If a child is born, a total of 300,000 yen will be paid until the second birthday.

Medical expenses are virtually free until the age of 18.

We have also set up an unoccupied house bank and helped secure housing.

These policies have been steadily producing results, including an increase in the youth population of the village.

Nevertheless, in 2018, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research points out that Kawakami Village may have the largest population decline by 2045.

Even in the village, there were many opportunities to hear from people who wished to relocate, "anxiety about finding a place to work is a cause of reluctance to relocate."

Mr. Takanori Otsuji, Living and Settlement Division, Kawakami Village

"It will be inconvenient to move to the village with your current job as it is, including commuting. Then, most of the migrants will change jobs. Of course, where they live. However, I thought that creating a place to work was an important factor

in our village. ”In such a situation, the village decided to work on multi-work.

Starting last year, two people have moved to the village so far.

I hope we can increase the number of people by 3 more.

Changing working styles The future of the village ...

Recently, some companies such as telework are based on flexible working styles, and the "working place" is gradually changing.

In Kawakami Village, we are planning a tour for those who wish to move in the summer, introducing the mechanism of multi-work, and planning a school tour and visiting famous places with households raising children in mind.

Countermeasures against population decline do not go on overnight.

Kawakami Village was pointed out that "the population will decrease the most in the whole country".

What kind of change will be brought to the future of the village when the thoughts of those who look forward and take the future of the village seriously and the migrants who love the rich nature and life of the village meet.

I would like to keep an eye on the future of the village.