In recent months, news organizations have reported that people are moving out of Tokyo into the suburbs and countryside, suggesting that some remote work situations are obviating the need to go into a place of employment in the city. What these stories often point out is that many people who live in Tokyo do so because of their jobs and, when given the opportunity, they will leave the capital to reside in a less crowded and, presumably, less expensive environment.

The government, having been frustrated in its occasional attempts to decompress Tokyo, appears to be heartened by the trend and may be keen to encourage it. The land ministry enacted a plan that offers ¥400,000 worth of points to families that endeavor to build a new house with energy-saving features. The points can be used to purchase household appliances.

Attached to this plan is a rider that says if the family has three or more children and is migrating out of the Tokyo metropolitan area, the reward is increased to as much as 1 million points. In addition to the relatively large number of children required, the plan has other conditions that may limit its scope. Although families living in any of the four prefectures comprising the Tokyo metropolitan area qualify, one or more of the parents should have been working in Tokyo's 23 wards, and the contract for the new house must be signed between Dec. 15, 2020, and Oct. 31, 2021. If such a family decides to buy a previously owned house that does not have energy-saving features, they can still receive 300,000 points. The government has earmarked ¥109.4 billion for this program.