A Sustainable Future for Shrinking Japan? Creating New Narratives of Revitalisation in SDGs Future Cities

Ageing and depopulation threaten the survival of many of Japan’s small towns and villages. To address this challenge, the Japanese government is encouraging municipalities to adopt a pro-growth agenda to reverse decline. Launched in 2018, the “SDGs Future City” initiative supports local government’s revitalisation efforts through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs. Although this programme remains anchored in a pro-growth narrative, some municipalities are turning to sustainable development principles to address depopulation and transition to a post-growth scenario. 

Focusing on four small rural municipalities selected as SDGs Future Cities in 2018, this paper explores new narratives of revitalisation that prioritise environmental sustainability. By reflecting on the cases of Shimokawa, Hokkaido; Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture; Kamikatsu, Tokushima Prefecture; and Oguni, Kumamoto Prefecture, this paper examines the role of sustainable paradigms—such as the circular economy or the promotion of Satoyama landscapes—in reimagining the future of Japan’s shrinking municipalities. It questions the tacit departure from pro-growth strategies by an increasing number of Japanese shrinking municipalities and how they are planning for a sustainable future. The paper argues that sustainable principles help to answer Japan’s ongoing dilemma of how to achieve a soft landing with a smaller population while maintaining social vitality.