The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released information on the migration movements within Japan in 2011 using data from the basic resident registers. Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures each saw a net outflow as residents moved out of the disaster-struck areas. The number of residents moving out exceeded the number of residents moving in to these three prefectures by 41,226. This is the first time since 1970 that the number has exceeded 40,000 residents.

Conversely, the greater Osaka region (Osaka City, Hyogo, Kyoto and Nara) saw the number of residents moving in exceed those who moved out. This is the first time in 38 years that they have seen a positive inflow of residents.

Greater Tokyo (Tokyo City, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba) also saw a net inflow of 62,809 residents. However, Chiba Prefecture reported a net loss of residents for the first time in 55 years.

The Ministry said that the reason for the shift in populations between prefectures was due to the Tohoku disaster which led many companies to move or set up offices in other regions to mitigate any future risk.

Source: The Asahi Shimbun, January 30, 2012.

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