Fukuoka-based Kyushu Economic Research Center reported that the more people left the Kyushu-Okinawa region than moved here in 2012, resulting in the first excess outflow of population in two years. The 4,860-person drop was attributed to a decline in the number of people moving in from regions affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear power plant incident coupled with an increase in the number of people moving back to those regions in connection with disaster reconstruction efforts. Aside from Fukuoka and Okinawa, every prefecture in the region experienced excess outflow, led by Nagasaki and Kagoshima with respective declines of 4,906 and 3,599 persons. Meanwhile, Fukuoka experienced an increase of 9,221 persons, ranking third in the nation behind Tokyo’s 23 wards and Sendai, with over 60% of the new population originating in the Kyushu region. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, Feb. 27
