Nanmoku, Japan’s oldest municipality where 70 percent of residents are aged 65 or above, has signed a sister-city agreement with Belen, an impoverished district in Peru with a median age of 27, in an unusual effort to attract young residents and counter severe depopulation. The pact follows a chance meeting between the village mayor and a Japanese-Peruvian businessman, bringing a delegation of Peruvian visitors to inspect the mountain community.
Village Officials Welcome Peruvian Delegation to Gunma Prefecture
The mayor of Belen and two young female students visited a local care home in Nanmoku, a village of just 1,300 people located in Gunma Prefecture, greeting elderly residents during a week-long tour. The village’s main street along the Nanmoku River features abandoned homes and shops, appearing largely deserted on a rainy weekend. A 2014 think tank report described the municipality as being most at risk of disappearing, with Mayor Saijo Hasegawa stating that around 60 people die each year while only two or three babies are born.
Contrasting Realities Between Mountain Japan and Amazonian Peru
While Nanmoku struggles with an ageing population and a shrinking workforce that threatens basic services such as public transportation, Belen faces a starkly different demographic and economic challenge. Belen is a remote district of more than 60,000 residents in Iquitos, accessible only by plane or boat, where wooden houses are built on stilts to withstand seasonal flooding. Belen Mayor Lina Arista Lopez stated that the district suffers from a harsh economic reality and a lack of formal jobs, leaving residents to rely largely on informal trade and agriculture such as yuca, rice, and corn.
Residency Uncertainty and Immigration Pressures in Japan
Village officials in Nanmoku hope the cultural and people-to-people ties promoted by the sister-city agreement will eventually draw young people from Belen to live in the community, though how those residents might obtain legal residency remains unclear. Mayor Hasegawa emphasized a desire to welcome newcomers as long-term villagers rather than relying on short-term agency workers or technical interns common in neighboring municipalities. This long-term vision intersects with a broader national debate, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pushes for tighter regulations on foreign nationals amid growing domestic opposition to immigration.
Student Perspectives on Relocation Hurdles
Peruvian students visiting the mountain village expressed openness to the idea of building a future in Japan despite logistical and social hurdles. Wendy Sangama, a 19-year-old student, told AFP that Nanmoku is a town where she could see herself settling down to support her family back home, though she conceded that missing regular family contact would present a challenge. Ketsi Yahuarcani, a 23-year-old student, called the visit incredible and noted the warmth she felt during the stay. Yuki Wanibuchi, a 34-year-old resident who moved to Nanmoku from the Kyoto area, stated that prospective newcomers would need to overcome a significant language barrier and obtain Japanese skills to secure a driver’s license, which is essential for daily life in the mountainous region.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Nanmoku-Belen Partnership
How did the sister-city agreement between Nanmoku and Belen come about?
Nanmoku Mayor Saijo Hasegawa stated that the pact resulted from a chance meeting with a Japanese-Peruvian businessman rather than a formal geopolitical strategy.
What are the demographic statistics for Nanmoku and Belen?
Nanmoku is Japan’s oldest municipality, with 70 percent of its 1,300 residents aged 65 or older, while Belen has a young median age of about 27 years among its population of over 60,000.
How do residents of Belen currently earn a living?
Belen Mayor Lina Arista Lopez stated that district residents rely largely on informal trade and agriculture, cultivating crops such as yuca, rice, and corn because there are few local jobs.
What specific challenges do potential foreign residents face in Nanmoku?
Yuki Wanibuchi, a local resident, noted that newcomers face a steep language barrier and must acquire Japanese skills to obtain a driver’s license, which is required to live in the remote mountain village.