jaksemas

>This is not unheard to have villages dying in Europe

This is not a village, it's a city with a population of 120k falling down to 10k.

A population of 120k would put it as a top-5 city in any medium-sized European country. And it is completely unimaginable that such a city would die this way (unless it were destroyed in a war).

>This is nothing specific to Yubari

It's not implying that it's specific to Yubari.

It's implying that it doesn't have the crime stats that are usual in decaying cities of the rust-belt.

Comparing decaying cities of the rust-belt with an average small city in Japan wouldn't be fair. Comparing them with a decaying city on the other hand makes sense.