Japanese mountain village seeks new residents through sister-city link with Peru

Facing a steep demographic decline, Nanmoku in Japan’s Gunma Prefecture has turned to a sister-city relationship with Belen, a district of Iquitos in Peru, as a potential source of new residents. The village, where three-quarters of the 1,300 inhabitants are seniors and only a handful of babies are born each year, welcomed a delegation that included 19-year-old Wendy Sangama and other young Peruvians. Mayor Saijo Hasegawa explained that the aim is to attract families who will settle permanently, rather than temporary laborers, to preserve essential services such as bus routes.

Belen, a young and impoverished Amazonian community, struggles with limited jobs, making the prospect of moving to Japan appealing to some. Participants expressed enthusiasm but also noted challenges like language barriers and the need for a car and driver’s licence. The initiative reflects broader Japanese concerns about ageing rural areas and rising resistance to immigration, highlighted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push for stricter foreign-national rules.