I was born in 1965. Apparently, floodwater levels in Hitoyoshi that year reached a record 5.05 meters. Recent rain has brought flood levels to 7.25 meters. A woman in the article is quoted: “I don’t know if I can live here anymore.”
Rural areas in Japan are being hit by a triple whammy: loss of jobs, loss of youth, and an increase in natural disasters.These of course lead to increased depopulation. I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of Japan’s hinterland is abandoned to wildlife within my lifetime. - William
