Japanese village uses mannequins to combat loneliness amid population decline
Ichinono: Faced with a dwindling population of less than 60 residents, the village of Ichinono in Japan has found a unique way to counter loneliness—by filling its empty spaces with mannequins. The handcrafted puppets, dressed in bright clothes and posed in various activities, represent the family members who have left the village in search of opportunities in nearby cities.
Many of Ichinono’s inhabitants are elderly, with the younger generation moving out for work and education. To recreate a sense of community, locals began crafting mannequins to resemble children, adults, and even whole families, positioning them throughout the village. Now, these life-like figures significantly outnumber the human residents.
Despite the exodus, Ichinono recently welcomed a new couple, Rie and Toshiki Kato, who moved to the village during the COVID-19 pandemic. They soon had a child, Kuranosuke, who became the village’s first newborn in two decades, bringing hope and joy to the aging population.
Japan’s population decline continues to be a challenge, with a record 36.25 million residents over 65, making up nearly 30% of the population. The total population has been steadily decreasing, marking its 15th year of decline in 2023, and only 730,000 babies were born last year.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Stalin accuses Centre of trying to use women's quota as 'weapon,' slams EPS over delimitation
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly criticised the Centre over the women's reservation and accused it of trying to use it as a "weapon" to tackle the opposition before taking up the delimitation exercise based on population.
"The Union government is not concerned about implementing reservations for women. If their concerns were genuine, they could have done it right away. Rather than doing that, the BJP-led Centre is thinking of using it as a weapon to tackle opposition and take up the delimitation exercise based on population," he told PTI in an interview.
"Hence, the women's reservation must be implemented immediately without showing delimitation as a reason," the DMK president added.
Expressing apprehensions on the proposed delimitation exercise, the CM said it was the DMK that raised the first voice asserting the rights of the state after realising that Tamil Nadu would be affected by the proposed exercise. He also attacked his rival and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami over the delimitation issue.
Recalling efforts made by the DMK to raise the issue of population-based delimitation, he said an all-party meeting and a meeting of CMs under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee seeking fair delimitation were convened. It sought to freeze delimitation for 25 years and stick to it based on the 1971 Census population.
"We urged the union government that states which successfully implemented population control programmes must not be punished," he added.
The party came up with "Tamil Nadu poradum, Tamil Nadu vellum" (Tamil Nadu will struggle, Tamil Nadu will win) and this is DMK's stand, he said.
"However, Palaniswami, who is seeking votes for the entry of the BJP through the backdoor, has till date been mute over delimitation, and this is a betrayal of the people of Tamil Nadu."
