Taiwan delegation visits Japanese town lauded for reversing population decline

Taiwan's National Development Council (NDC) delegation, led by Minister Kung Ming-hsin, visited Higashikawa Town in Hokkaido, Japan, to study its successful "creative placemaking" strategies. Higashikawa is renowned for its "Photography Town" initiative and innovative "shareholder system," which have reversed population decline and fostered balanced governance across industry, environment, education, and quality of life.

Higashikawa Town Mayor Shinobu Kikuchi shared how the town has achieved a 20% population increase over the past three decades by integrating its photography culture, local produce, woodworking industry, and international education. Beyond permanent residents, the town actively cultivates a "relational population" – individuals connected to the town through various experiences. Taiwan is a key international partner, with over 2,000 Taiwanese visiting annually for Japanese language studies and cultural immersion, contributing significantly to local development.

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Higashikawa Town, through innovative systems, cultivates relational population, achieving balanced governance that integrates industry, environment, education, and quality of life, proving that even amidst changing demographics, local communities can continuously attract people through their own efforts.

Since 1985, Higashikawa has branded itself as the "Photography Town," deeply embedding art and urban branding through photographic activities. The "Your Chair" project, where local artisans craft a unique wooden chair for each newborn, fosters a sense of belonging. The "shareholder system," an extension of the "hometown tax" donation program, transforms external donors into long-term supporters, generating 4.6 billion yen annually for the town as of 2025.

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The town values the concept of 'managed shrinkage,' emphasizing not blindly expanding development, but integrating nature, culture, education, and resident participation into a long-term operational living system.

Mayor Kikuchi believes Higashikawa's current population of 8,700 is ideal, emphasizing a "managed shrinkage" philosophy that prioritizes integrating nature, culture, education, and resident participation into a sustainable living system. This focus on local identity and livability has transformed "local characteristics" into "systems everyone can participate in," offering valuable policy insights for Taiwan's placemaking and youth empowerment efforts.

The town also established Japan's first public Japanese language school in 2015. Principal Masamichi Koyama explained how affordable tuition and comprehensive support transform overseas students into cultural ambassadors and economic contributors. This, combined with local business revitalization, cultural experiences, and multicultural policies, has expanded the town's diverse development. Facing shared challenges of population decline and aging societies, Taiwan and Japan find common ground in placemaking, which NDC Minister Kung highlighted as crucial for rebuilding connections between people, land, and communities.

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By transforming overseas students from mere language learners into individuals who deeply understand local culture and revitalize the daily economy, we have successfully expanded the town's diverse development.