The Japanese village of Nanmoku has signed a sister-city agreement with Belen, Peru, to attract young workers to its aging community.
This partnership represents an unconventional attempt to solve a demographic collapse that threatens the viability of rural Japanese towns. By fostering international ties, Nanmoku hopes to offset a critical lack of labor and a dwindling youth population.
Located in the mountainous Gunma prefecture, Nanmoku faces a stark aging crisis. According to the 2020 census, 65.2% [1] of the village residents were 65 years or older. This demographic shift has created a severe labor shortage, prompting local officials to look beyond Japan's borders for sustainable solutions.
The agreement, which was signed in November 2026 [1], establishes a framework for cultural exchange between the village and Belen, a city in the Ancash region of northern Peru with a population of about 80,000 [2]. The initiative aims to create a pipeline that encourages young Peruvians to relocate to the Japanese mountains.
"We hope that cultural exchanges under this framework will eventually bring young people to live and work here," the mayor of Nanmoku said.
Local leaders in Peru have expressed similar enthusiasm for the arrangement. The mayor of Belen said the city is eager to share its vibrant culture and explore new opportunities with its Japanese sister city.
While sister-city agreements are often symbolic, Nanmoku's approach is driven by economic necessity. The village is utilizing the pact to promote itself as a destination for foreign labor, a move that highlights the desperation of Japan's most rural areas as they struggle to maintain basic services and agricultural productivity.
“65.2% of the village residents were 65 years or older.”
This agreement underscores the extremity of Japan's demographic crisis, where rural municipalities are forced to seek international partnerships to survive. By targeting a city like Belen, Nanmoku is testing whether cultural diplomacy can serve as a practical recruitment tool for foreign labor in regions that are otherwise unattractive to domestic youth.
