The Land of the Rising Sun, the birthplace of Samurai and Ninja, has a problem: they're running out of ninja. In a recent economic podcast by NPR, it’s been reported that the small city of Iga in Central Japan has fewer and fewer people to carry out their traditions. The city of Iga is claimed to be the birthplace of the ninja, but even the city’s heritage couldn’t save it from the depopulation issue that’s currently faced by the whole country. Iga lost 1,000 residents last year as people were moving to the larger cities like Tokyo.

Japan's monthly unemployment rate is also 2.5, so the sights and sounds of Tokyo tend to trump Iga's cool ninja lifestyle, despite the hefty performer salaries reaching up to $23,000 to $85,000. It pays to be a ninja, and no one is taking that job? Seriously? I'd be all up for that! Someone give me a damn kunai! 

Iga can count on about 30,000 tourists during their annual Ninja Festival, but they are taking steps to attract tourists year round. The Japanese government isn't exactly blind to Iga's situation, and has plans to provide funding for additional ninja performers and a second ninja museum in the hopes of attracting more workers and tourists to revitalize their local economy. 

What do you make of the declining nina population of Japan? Would you like to visit Iga and the cool ninja there? Sound off in the comments below! While scrolling down the screen, enjoy these really cool pictures of the ninja Japan hopes to keep around.