The end of the job-for-life tradition in Japan has led a new generation to search for what they really want to do, and for some, this has led them back to farming and a life their grandparents once had.

Farmer Junichi Furukawa, 23, works in his field in Yachimata, east of Tokyo. The fracturing of the post-World War Two system that propelled Japan's economy to the No.2 global spot -- a status now lost to China -- has pushed many youths to seek security by trying to cling to what remains. But for others, the uncertainty itself is giving birth to a do-it-yourself mindset that could generate welcome dynamism. Picture taken December 10, 2010. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Young Japanese adults, suffering from the wave of layoffs and salary cutbacks in the cities, have gone back to the countryside in search of work.

National and local authorities have been quite supportive of those who want to try their hand at farming.

In 2009, then-Prime Minister Taro Aso introduced the Rural Labor Squad to help address the shortage in agriculture workers. The goal of the Rural Labor Squad was to provide jobs in the agricultural sector to unemployed or underemployed Japanese youth.

Today, the move back to the countryside is still going strong. There's also growing popularity for excursions to farms where people can try their hand in farming different kinds of produce.

Organized by the local authorities, these excursions are directed towards young Japanese who can be a part of revitalizing the aging population residing in the countryside, according to the BBC. The average age of a Japanese farmer is around 66 years old.

The older farmers, who offer valuable lessons in agriculture and provide help in finding land, have been able to find apprentices from the younger generation.

However, jobs in agriculture have their downsides as well. For example, farming jobs do not pay as well as jobs in the city. On top of that, the work can be temporary and may only be available during specific times of the year.

Farmers, affected by the economic crunch, may also not be able to afford to hire laborers. So, although there may be more people willing to work in the countryside, there may still not be enough paying jobs available.

The Japanese agricultural industry, still trying to recover from the earthquake, tsunami and the accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant that happened in March, has also not been able to recover as much as hoped.

Combined with the worsening situation of the global economy, the overall situation for job hunters is still quite dire. Although only time can tell, there are still those hoping that this new movement back to the countryside will help boost Japan's economy.