Gunma Prefecture was ranked the most preferred relocation destination for the second consecutive year amid concerns over high costs of living in urban centers and recommendations by artificial intelligence.

The Japan Organization for Internal Migration ¡ª also known as Join-Furusato ¡ª an organization based in Tokyo that supports rural relocation, found that Gunma, roughly a two-hour drive from Tokyo, was favored for its connectivity and relative earthquake safety. It was popular across all age groups.

The annual ranking of attractive prefectures to relocate to, released Tuesday, was based on a survey of 27,242 people who visited the organization¡¯s relocation support center or attended its seminars between January and December last year.

Tochigi Prefecture ranked second and Nagano Prefecture third.

Explaining factors that made Gunma No. 1, the report said, ¡°Many inquiries came from 30-something families with children, often focused on housing costs and commuting convenience from major cities.¡±

It also said that Gunma was popular among people in their 50s considering dual habitation, while couples in their 20s were interested in better child care offerings.

Technology also played a role in cementing Gunma¡¯s position.

¡°From summer 2025, there was a notable rise in consultations from people who first researched areas with generative AI, then contacted the support center for deeper information,¡± the report said, adding that AI had recommended specific areas across the prefecture.

With a population of around 1.87 million, Gunma offers a greener, quieter pace of life, with large expanses of national parks and wildlife, as well as hot springs. The prefecture is an agricultural hub, and the dominant source of konnyaku in Japan ¡ª a vegetable-based jelly-like ¡°superfood¡± that aids digestion.

The region has seen a steady increase of foreign residents, counting 87,544 in December 2025, with most coming from Vietnam, Brazil and the Philippines. More than 20,000 of them are permanent residents.

Tochigi, meanwhile, has recently begun a migration promotion concierge program in a bid to better sell itself to would-be relocators. The prefecture has also sold itself as a marriage migration destination, with the prefectural government planning to establish a new division integrating relocation promotion and marriage support.

Nagano also saw a boost as a result of higher housing costs in metropolitan areas that prompted people to look for lower-cost options. The prefecture has received a growing number of inquiries from people in their 20s who were concerned about rising costs, as well as from those interested in the prefecture¡¯s educational environment.

Hiroshi Takahashi, chairman of Join-Furusato, said that record-breaking heat and soaring housing prices made living in greater proximity to nature more attractive.

¡°There is a sense that rural migration is no longer unique, but has been established as an option to make life better,¡± he said.