過 疎 地(かそち)

かそち

noun

depopulated area; underpopulated region

1. depopulated area; underpopulated region

A region that has lost a significant portion of its population, typically due to migration to urban areas. A major social issue in rural Japan.

この村(むら)は過疎地(かそち)だ。

This village is a depopulated area.

過疎地(かそち)では病院(びょういん)が少(すく)ない。

There are few hospitals in depopulated areas.

若者(わかもの)が都市(とし)に出(で)てしまい、過疎地(かそち)の高齢化(こうれいか)がますます進(すす)んでいる。

With young people leaving for the cities, the aging of depopulated areas is accelerating.

A key term in discussions of Japanese demographics and regional policy. Japan's rapid urbanization since the postwar period has left many rural areas severely depopulated, with aging populations, abandoned houses, and shrinking public services. The government designates certain areas as 過疎(かそ)地域(ちいき) under the Depopulated Areas Act.

Common collocations

過疎地(かそち)域(いき): depopulated region (formal/administrative)
過疎地(かそち)の問題(もんだい): problems of depopulated areas
過疎地(かそち)対策(たいさく): measures for depopulated areas
過疎化(かそか)が進(すす)む: depopulation advances

Similar words

過疎(かそ): depopulation — the phenomenon itself, while 過疎地(かそち) refers to the specific area
僻地(へきち): remote area — emphasizes geographical remoteness, not necessarily population decline
限界集落(げんかいしゅうらく): marginal settlement — a village where more than half the residents are over 65

Related Words

Compare: 僻地(へきち) (remote area)

Compare: 限界集落(げんかいしゅうらく) (marginal settlement)

Related: 遠隔地(えんかくち) (remote area)

general

Added 2026.4.9 1:22 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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