Aging Japan: Neighboring suburbs face divergent futures as one grays, one grows 0 SHARES Share it! Like Sakura, Inzai lies within commuting distance of Tokyo, roughly an hour west by train, and Narita airport, about 40 minutes east. Residents say its government, controlled by one political party since 1955, allowed local stores to fold and did not attract new businesses. DIFFERENT TIMESKodama was lured by the dream of buying a new home, unaffordable in Tokyo, in Sakura’s Sunny Newtown development, carved out of mountains and rice fields. Unlike Inzai, Sakura has failed to bring in large companies, and residents say the local government hasn’t listened to what they need.

Source: Manila Bulletin December 05, 2018 23:37 UTC