Reflections on the film 'Sunset Sunrise' and the nature of the youth-related population~

Reflections after watching the film 'Sunset Sunrise'

“Delicious food and beautiful scenery aren't going anywhere. Why not come visit once in a while? I'll have a feast ready and waiting for you.”

This line appears in the film 'Sunset Sunrise,' delivered by Ken-chan, a resident of a depopulated area played by Pistol Takehara, as he stands firmly by the river.

The film is a human drama depicting a young man who moves to a rural area and gradually integrates into the community through interactions with the locals.

It was such a wonderful work that it made me rethink the theme of 'urban youth and regional revitalization,' as well as what FLASPO can offer.

Excessive migration policies, workations, telework, and dual-residence living...

In Japan, several years have passed since the whispers of 'regional extinction' began amidst ongoing population decline. We are living in 2025, in a new phase called 'Regional Revitalization 2.0'.

Over the past five years, 'attracting people to regions' has been considered the most important issue for local areas, and 'promotion of migration' has been carried out very actively. Furthermore, the term 'related population' —referring to a way of engaging that is more than tourism but less than full migration —also emerged and gained attention. However, this term has also been somewhat stagnant due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, with the shift to online operations triggered by COVID-19, a work style known as 'workation' —where one lives in a rural area while working for an urban company—has become feasible. And, thanks to the accumulation of past migration promotion policies, the number of people who 'want to live in a rural area' is gradually increasing.

However, looking back as of 2025, there is a limit to the number of people who want to migrate, and a structure has been created where each municipality competes to snatch up migrants. Of course, it is very important to have an environment that makes it easy to migrate when someone decides they want to, but the question remains whether offering subsidies of several million yen is an essential solution.

Furthermore, the trend toward promoting telework has slowed down, and there is a current reality where more companies are once again emphasizing office attendance.

Amidst this, what has been attracting attention in recent years is 'dual-residence living.' This is a form where one lives in an urban area while maintaining another base in a rural area, using weekends and holidays to live there as well. However, this remains a lifestyle limited to those who have a certain amount of financial leeway and are able to telework.

Even so, the outflow of young people is serious for rural areas, and there are many regions where population decline and depopulation are progressing. In such a situation, how should we go about solving this?

What are the triggers for urban youth to connect with rural areas?

Basically, I think there are two major directions. One is how to disperse the population concentration in cities that will continue in the future. The other is whether we can proceed with the reorganization (merger) of regions where depopulation has progressed too far for them to continue as municipalities. Both are unavoidable realities.

So, when thinking from the perspective of urban youth, 'how can we connect young people living in cities to rural areas?' This is by no means a task that can be completed in a short period; it is a social issue that should be addressed over a long span of 10, 20, or 30 years.

For people living in urban areas to move to rural areas, a corresponding 'turning point in life' is necessary. Until now, milestones such as entering higher education, finding employment, marriage, and retirement were those moments.
However, now, the option of 'changing jobs' has become commonplace, and the number of times one does so varies from person to person.

In career development as well, not just as a step up to simply increase salary, the value of 'working in a way that is true to oneself' has also come to be emphasized. Amidst this, the question is how to develop an environment where the option of 'working and living in a rural area' naturally comes to mind when one reaches a turning point in life.

How can 'working and living in a rural area' become an option for urban youth?

So, how can 'working or living in a rural area' become a viable option during such life transitions?
I believe it comes down to whether or not you have a 'region you are connected to.' A region you like, a region you have been involved with, or a region where you know someone.Such places should become options when it comes time to make a final decision.

To achieve this, first, a 'trigger to develop an attachment to that region' is necessary.

I believe there are two main types of triggers. One is tourism. If you visit a region through tourism and have fun experiences or memorable encounters with people, you will start to feel, 'I want to go back' or 'I might like this place.'

The other is involvement with the region. It is not just about doing a resort part-time job or helping out with a tourist mindset;
by getting involved in community development or regional problem-solving projects, seeing your proposals and ideas take shape, and being thanked by others, you gain a sense of having 'contributed to this region.' That builds confidence and leads to an attachment to the region.

What FLASPO can do

I believe FLASPO is a mechanism that can create this second type of involvement. Through the experience of young people encountering regional issues, coming up with ideas, making proposals, and seeing them actually implemented in the region, they gain memories and connections as a 'place I was involved in,' rather than just a 'one-time experience.'

And I believe that leads to a related population that can think, 'I'll work in this region' or 'I'll visit again' at some point in their lives.

Creating a region you like, caring about it, and visiting occasionally

So, until that timing comes, how should young people in urban areas interact with rural areas?

—I think this line spoken by Ken-chan, an uncle character living in a depopulated area played by Pistol Takehara in the movie, accurately expresses the inclusiveness and sustainable charm of a region.

'Delicious food and beautiful scenery aren't going anywhere. Why don't you come and see them once in a while? I'll have food ready and waiting for you.'—

Even if you don't move there right away, you can create a region you like, visit it once to enjoy the scenery and the food, and then return to the city. And then visit that region again occasionally.

Just having a region you like makes life a little richer. I think the fact that you have more places where you belong is meaningful in itself.

FLASPO wants to deliver such 'involvement' to young people in a more casual and interesting way.

Idea Contest Platform FLASPO

At FLASPO, we operate 'FLASPO,' a platform where companies and local governments hold various idea contests.
We provide an opportunity for young people interested in community development, regional problem-solving, and regional revitalization to participate in contests and think of ideas, thereby getting involved with companies and regions and building relationships.