An ongoing project to create employment opportunities in the depopulated Inabu district of Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, is beginning to bear fruit, as a college student and two other people accepted job offers of working five days a week — three at a local factory and two as mountain biking guides.
The Inabu Base Project, launched by some mountain-bike lovers from Aichi and local car seat cover manufacturer Toyotake Industry Co., aims to revitalize the mountainous district of Inabu by establishing mountain biking trails to attract tourists and creating job opportunities by hiring tour guides. They plan to start bike tours in April.
Hayate Endo, 22, of Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, is the first college student who will be employed by Toyotake under the project.