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Tokyo ward combats demographic decline
Mayor's slate of initiatives aims to make Toshima - deemed at risk of vanishing - more liveable
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Walter Sim Japan Correspondent In Tokyo , Walter Sim
The mayor of Tokyo's Toshima ward, known for the vibrant commuter hub Ikebukuro, may already be 82 years old, but he is by far one of the most progressive leaders in conservative Japan.
Look no further than the slate of initiatives that Mr Yukio Takano has introduced since 2014, when a think-tank sounded the warning that his ward was "at risk of vanishing": its female population aged 20 to 39 was forecast to halve by 2040.
