The net population influx into Tokyo decelerated further in 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic, becoming the smallest since 2014 when the current survey format was introduced, government data showed Friday.

People moving into the Japanese capital outnumbered those leaving by 5,433 last year, down 25,692 from the previous year, with the slowdown apparently reflecting the spread of teleworking due to the pandemic. A record-low net influx had also been seen in 2020.

According to internal migration statistics released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of people moving into Tokyo in 2021 totaled 420,167, down 12,763 from the previous year, while the number of those leaving the capital totaled 414,734, up 12,929.

People moving into Tokyo outnumbered those moving out by around 70,000 to 80,000 every year between 2014 and 2019, before the spread of COVID-19, according to the data.

Meanwhile, the net influx into the broader metropolitan area also including Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures dropped to 81,699 in 2021, down 17,544 from the previous year, also the lowest since 2014.

The Japanese government aims to balance the inflow and outflow of the population in the Tokyo area by fiscal 2024.