Changes in Destinations of Migrants from Tokyo Special Wards during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Large migrations from major cities were observed in many countries in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide. In Japan, the number of out-migrants from the Tokyo metropolis has increased and the pattern of internal migration has changed due to the pandemic. This article examines changes in destinations of migrants from Tokyo special wards, the central part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. As a result, the suburban areas of the Tokyo metropolitan area and northwest and southwest regions outside it were identified as regional destination clusters that received increased numbers of migrants from Tokyo special wards. The characteristics of the regions and age and occupational compositions of in-migrants indicated that the pandemic facilitated so-called lifestyle migration from the metropolitan center in Japan.