About JaScore
About This Project
JaScore is an independent data journalism project that collects, analyzes, and visualizes livability data for Japanese cities. Our goal is to bridge the information gap between Japan's rich government open data and people who want to understand what it's really like to live in different Japanese cities.
Meet the Characters
On each city page, Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live there.
Alex
Foreigner
Western, late 20s. Loves Japan, has visited a few times, and loosely thinking "maybe I'd live there someday." Upbeat and easy-going — asks the casual questions everyone wants to ask.
Yuki
Japanese local
Early 30s, based in Tokyo. Vaguely interested in relocating or trying a remote-work lifestyle. More "that'd be nice someday" than actively planning. Grounded, practical perspective.
Kai
Data Analyst
Tells you what's great about the city, backed by data. Always finds the positive angle — lower scores become 'all about neighborhood choice' or 'flip side is...'. Their thing is 'but here's what's great.'
Scoring Methodology
JaScore uses a deviation value scoring method (v4.4). Each indicator is converted to a deviation score (mean 50, std dev 10) based on the distribution across municipalities with a 2025 census population of 50,000 or more. A score of 50 is average, 60+ is excellent. The 23 Tokyo wards, Osaka, Yokohama and Kawasaki are left out of that baseline because they are outliers and the site focuses on regional cities and municipalities. Highly skewed indicators (crime, land price, rent, establishments, medical facilities, income, school density) are log-transformed first. Each axis aggregates its indicators with equal weight, except convenience, which gives 1/2 to public transit use and 1/2 to the average of retail and restaurants. An axis with any missing indicator is shown as "Not scored".
See the October 2026 revision →
| Axis | Indicators | Source | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety | Reported crimes per 1,000 (municipal) | Prefectural police | Lower = higher score |
| Cost | Avg. land price (¥/m²) + Avg. rent (¥/month) | MLIT Land Price + e-Stat Housing Survey | Lower = higher score |
| Convenience | Public transit rate (1/2) + average of Retail and Restaurants per 1,000 (1/2) | e-Stat: Census + Economic Census | Higher = higher score |
| Welfare | Medical facilities per 10,000 (log) + Schools per habitable km² | e-Stat: Medical + School surveys | Higher = higher score |
| Economy | Taxable income per capita + Net migration rate | e-Stat: Municipal tax + Population movement | Higher = higher score |
The overall score is the weighted average of the scored axes, shown on the same scale as the axes. Weights: safety 0.5 (crime is counted where offenses occur, which inflates daytime-population districts, and some municipalities lack data), cost 0.5 (it measures household burden, which runs opposite to demand-driven desirability), and convenience, welfare and economy 1. Grades come from the rank of the overall score among the baseline municipalities (50,000+ residents, excluding the four areas above): S is the top 7%, A the top 30%, B the top 70%, and C the rest. Smaller towns are graded against the same score cutoffs. Cities with two or more unscored axes have no overall score. Towns where far fewer people actually live than are registered (residency rate below 90%) carry a note.
The "Q&A with Kai" section on each city page is editorial content prepared based on government statistical data. The interpretations and perspectives offered are for reference purposes only and should not be the sole basis for any relocation decisions.
Reading the articles
- The crime rate is the number of penal code offenses recognized by police, as published by each prefectural police, counted in the municipality where the offense occurred and divided by the 2025 census population per 1,000 residents. Unreported crime and traffic accidents are not included.
- In the articles, "high", "low" and "average" compare an indicator with the median among municipalities with a 2025 census population of 50,000 or more. The middle half of values around the median is described as an average level.
- The reference years are not aligned. Each indicator has its own year, listed in the sources table.
- Land price is the simple average of residential survey points in the official land price publication. Commercial and industrial land is not included.
- Municipal programs mentioned in the articles are based on each municipality's guidance at the time of writing. They change by fiscal year, so please check the municipality's own page for the latest.
Data Sources
Grade cutoffs
Based on the rank of the overall score among the baseline municipalities: those with 50,000+ residents, excluding the 23 Tokyo wards, Osaka, Yokohama and Kawasaki. The baseline includes municipalities this site has not yet written about.
| S | Top 7% (overall 54.5 or higher) |
| A | Top 30% (overall 51.3 or higher) |
| B | Top 70% (overall 48.6 or higher) |
| C | The rest (below 48.6) |
Data sources by indicator
Years show the range across listed cities. Each city page shows the prefectural police and year used for its crime rate.
| Indicator | Source | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 2025 Population CensusStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Reported penal code offenses by municipalityPrefectural police | 2024–2025 | Counted where offenses occur; per 1,000 uses the 2025 census population |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | Official land prices (National Land Numerical Information L01)Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 2026 | Residential sites only; simple average of sites |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 2023 Housing and Land SurveyStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2023 | Monthly rent of rented housing; next survey in 2028 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 2020 Population Census (means of commuting)Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2020 | To be updated when the 2025 census commuting tables are published |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | Survey of Medical Institutions (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | 2023 | Hospitals and clinics combined |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | School Basic Survey and habitable area (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)MEXT and Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2024 | Elementary, junior high and high schools per habitable km² |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | Survey on municipal tax assessmentMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Taxable income per taxpayer |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | Report on Internal MigrationStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | Census population ÷ resident register populationMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Resident register population as of January 1, 2026 |
Operator
OperatorJaScore Editorial Team
Siteja-score.com