The population of those 39 or younger in the disaster-stricken Okunoto region of Ishikawa Prefecture is shrinking at twice the speed of those 40 and older, according to official data.
The region in the Noto Peninsula marked on Sunday one year since it was battered by torrential rains. It also suffered massive damage from a powerful earthquake on New Year's Day in 2024.
The area's population outflow continues, and the path to regional recovery is rocky.
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