Japanese Village Replaces Families With Puppets

Fewer than 60 people live in Ichinono, Japan, and many families have left in pursuit of jobs or education. To replace the sight of families playing in parks and taking strolls, residents have placed life-size puppets around town. Puppets now outnumber people. Mannequins can be seen swaying on swings, riding scooters, and pushing carts. Two-year-old Kuranosuke Kato was the first baby to be born in Ichinono in two decades. “Just by being born here, our son benefits from the love, support and hope of so many people,” his father said. In Japan, 29.3% of the population is over the age of 65. (Sky News)