Nagasaki Sets Forum, Flights, and Industry Revitalization Plans

Nagasaki Prefecture held a press conference to announce upcoming initiatives and respond to questions from reporters.

Forum on Strategies for a Decreasing Population

On December 21, Nagasaki will host a forum on strategies for building a sustainable society amid population decline. This will be the first event of its kind in the Kyushu region. The theme is“How can we encourage young people and women to choose rural areas as places to live?”

The forum will feature panel discussions with governors from Kyushu prefectures and experts from various fields. A declaration addressing population-related challenges will also be announced, aiming to inspire collective action.

Scheduled Flights Between Nagasaki and Busan

The governor announced that AIRBUSAN will operate scheduled flights between Nagasaki and Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, from January 4 to March 28, 2026. He expressed hopes that the route will attract more international tourists and improve access to overseas destinations from Nagasaki.

Highlights from the Q&A Session

• Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen

The governor of Saga prefecture and the deputy minister of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism discussed about how the railway plan progress and the Japan Railway Kyushu requested the national government to decrease the expenditure Saga prefecture's burden for the plan.

The governor welcomed the progress, noting its importance for connecting Nagasaki to major cities such as Osaka and Tokyo. He also emphasized the need to address issues like preserving conventional rail lines to ensure completion of the Shinkansen network.

• Pokémon Go Event in Nagasaki

In November, Nagasaki hosted a live Pokémon Go event, attracting approximately 420,000 participants from around the world. Visitors were able to catch new Pokémon unique to the city. The prefectural government expressed gratitude for the global attention and the promotion of Nagasaki's attractions on social media. The governor voiced enthusiasm for hosting similar large-scale events in the future.

• Revitalizing the Shipbuilding Industry

Nagasaki, historically a hub for shipbuilding, is poised to benefit from national efforts to revitalize the industry. The governor highlighted the prefecture's unique strengths, including research institutions and Japan's only integrated supply chain covering merchant ships and ocean energy. Together with the mayor of Sasebo, he requested national investment and support for workforce development to strengthen the industry and boost the local economy.

• Addressing Maternity Care in Kami-Goto Island

Due to declining birth rates and challenges in maintaining service quality, the maternity ward on Kami-Goto Island has closed, leaving expectant mothers without local care. The governor pledged to address the issue, including the use of doctor helicopters to provide emergency support. He emphasized the need to transition from municipality-based medical systems to wide-area networks to ensure equitable access to healthcare. The prefecture will work with related institutions to tackle this as a key priority.