The government plans to expand in fiscal 2025 the scope of eligibility for financial aid given to people moving out of Tokyo to live and find work in rural areas, in order to tackle regional labor shortages.

Those taking up jobs in agriculture, medicine and welfare, and becoming self-employed will be eligible for the aid with the expansion. The aid is currently available chiefly to people who are employed by small regional firms, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The aid program covers individuals living or working in the 23 special wards of Tokyo who move out of the Japanese capital to settle and find work in areas other than Tokyo's three immediate neighbors — Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures. People living alone each receive up to ¥600,000 ($4,036), while households get up to ¥1 million each. An additional ¥1 million is disbursed for each member of a household under the age of 18.

To receive the aid, applicants must find regional jobs through special websites operated by prefectural governments or continue the jobs they had prior to moving out of Tokyo by working remotely after their relocation to rural areas. Most of the jobs introduced on the prefectural websites are at small companies.

Through a review of the system, the central government aims to make the financial assistance accessible to more people, such as those who take up agriculture work, become self-employed and find employment in micro-enterprises, the sources said.

It will also designate essential medical and welfare workers — such as nurses — as necessary roles, taking into consideration labor shortages in municipalities accepting new settlers from Tokyo.

According to the Cabinet Office, the government has approved about 7,600 applications for financial aid over the five years through fiscal 2023. Around 16,000 Tokyo residents have relocated to rural areas under the scheme.