Fewer Japanese are migrating to Malaysia under the Southeast Asian nation's second-home scheme now that Japan has made progress recovering from the 2011 mega-quake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.
Immigrants who left under the Malaysia My Second Home Program (MM2H) peaked at 816 in 2012 before dwindling to around 200 this year, about the pre-disaster level, due partly to lack of promotion, said Sharifah Ikhlas, senior assistant director of the program.
Malaysia has topped the list of countries favored by Japanese for long stays for 11 years straight, according to All Nippon Airways Co. This is credited to its lower living costs, warm, year-round climate and the MM2H tax privileges bestowed on those with the proper visas.