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 (v3). Each indicator is converted to a deviation score (mean 50, std dev 10) based on the distribution across all cities. A score of 50 is average, 60+ is excellent. Each axis aggregates multiple indicators with equal weight, and the overall score is an equal-weight average of 5 axes.
| Axis | Indicators | Source | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety | Crime rate (per 1,000) | e-Stat: Social indicators (prefecture-level) | 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 + Retail per 1,000 + Restaurant per 1,000 | e-Stat: Census + Economic Census | Higher = higher score |
| Welfare | Medical facilities per 10,000 + Schools per 1,000 | 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 an equal-weighted average (20% each) of five axes.
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.
Data Sources
Operator
OperatorJaScore Editorial Team
Siteja-score.com