Depopulation, Aging, and Living Environments: Learning from Social Capital and Mountainous Areas in Japan Book

This book provides perspectives on depopulated areas and regional social capital from positivistic field surveys. Among the developed countries of the world, Japan has a very small amount of national land, with almost 70% of it being in mountainous locations. Concentration of populations and economic capital into large metropolitan areas along with many depopulated and population-aged regions in the mountainous parts can be seen in the country. A very clear regional disparity has arisen in Japan, especially since the era of its high economic growth. This book also offers critical suggestions for the shrinking societies of the developed world in the era of Society 5.0, the fifth stage of society where economic development is achieved and social issues are resolved by the fusion of cyber and physical space. To begin, the book refers to an outline of depopulation and depopulated areas in Japan. Then, it deals with issues of depopulation, out-migration from a mountainous village, revitalization of local industries, and maintenance of daily living functions in these areas. This book is suitable for students and scholars of the social sciences, regional planners, staffs of government offices, members of NPOs, general citizens, and the many other people who are interested in sustainability of a region and a community in a shrinking social environment. Preface 6 Contents 8 About the Author 13 1 Introduction—The Trajectory of the Mountainous Area Research and the Book’s Perspective 14 1.1 The Overview of Depopulation and the Problems in the Depopulation Research 14 1.2 The Trajectory of the Mountainous Area Research and the Mountain Village Research 16 1.3 The Book’s Perspective and Content 20 References 22 Part IThe Overview of the Depopulation Problem and the Reality of Population Outflow 26 2 Depopulation as a Regional Problem and Reality of Depopulation 29 2.1 Social Change, Modernization, and Depopulation Problem 29 2.2 Changes in the Rural Population 33 2.2.1 Population Structure 34 2.2.2 Migration 36 2.2.3 Characteristics by Region 37 2.2.4 Agricultural Work Structure 40 2.3 Definition of Depopulation 43 2.4 Regional Deprivation: The Decline and Loss of Regional Functions in Depopulated Regions 44 2.5 Requirements for Depopulation Under the Depopulation Act and Areas Designated as Depopulated 46 2.6 Regional Characteristics and Types of Depopulation 50 2.7 Population Migration, and Depopulation and Overpopulation Problems in Japan 55 2.8 Reality of Depopulation Based on the Preliminary Results of the 2000 Census 58 2.8.1 Overview of Depopulation 58 2.8.2 Depopulated Regions Based on the Preliminary Figures from the Census 59 2.9 Conclusion: Population Changes and Depopulation 66 References 67 3 Analysis of Population Migration from the Depopulated Mountain Village—A Case of Kamitsue Village in Oita Prefecture 71 3.1 Introduction 71 3.2 The Perspective of the Population Migration Research and the Challenges in This Chapter 73 3.3 The Characteristics of Migrants from Kamitsue Village and Migration Spatial Patterns 74 3.3.1 Overview of the Research Area 74 3.3.2 Number of Migrants and the Shift in the Number of Migrants 76 3.3.3 Migrant Characteristics 77 3.3.4 Migration Spatial Pattern 81 3.4 Characteristics of Migrants and Their Decision to Move 85 3.4.1 Overview of the Migration Status 85 3.4.2 Reason for Migration 86 3.4.3 Migrant’s Occupation Before and After Relocation 90 3.4.4 Migration Pattern of Multiple-Time Migrants 93 3.4.5 Decision-Making Process Relating to Migration 94 3.5 Transformation of a Depopulated Settlement: Settlement K in Kamitsue Village 98 3.5.1 Social Ties 98 3.5.2 Location, History, and Transition of Industrial Infrastructure 98 3.5.3 Population, Households, and Family Members 100 3.5.4 Groups, Tsukonken (Geographical Area in Which Families Are Related by Marriage), Livelihood, and Living Functions Within the Settlement 101 3.5.5 Transformation of Settlement K and Directionality of Depopulation: Discussion of Social Capital Theory 108 3.6 Conclusion 109 References 113 Part IIThe Reality of the Living Environment in Depopulated Mountainous Areas and IT Support for Regional Living Functions 117 4 Regional Living Functions in Depopulated Settlements in Shimane Prefecture 119 4.1 Analytical Perspective Relating to Living Functions in Depopulated Regions 119 4.2 Depopulated Region in Shimane Prefecture 124 4.3 Research Purpose and Method 128 4.4 Attributes and Occupation of the Survey Responders 134 4.4.1 Responder’s Attributes 134 4.4.2 Occupation of the Survey Responder and the Rest of the Household 138 4.5 Living Sphere and the Evaluation of Living Functions and Living Environment 142 4.5.1 Evaluation of Living Functions and Living Environment 142 4.5.2 Living Functions and Living Sphere 152 4.6 Challenges in the Living Function Research in the Depopulated Settlements 160 References 162 5 Regional Living Functions and IT Support 165 5.1 Introduction 165 5.2 IT and Regional Lifestyle 166 5.2.1 Depopulated Regions and Socioeconomic Changes Brought About by IT 166 5.2.2 Organizing Regional Living Functions 168 5.2.3 Specific Cases and Possibilities of IT Support for Regional Life 169 5.2.4 For Investigation and Research on Regional Living Support with IT 171 5.3 Application of IT Network Technology to Regions (Large-Scale Cases) 172 5.3.1 Examples of Information Systems 172 5.3.2 Large-Scale Information System Issues 174 5.4 Regional Survey Results 175 5.4.1 Regional Survey Overview 175 5.4.2 Regional Survey 176 5.5 Conclusion 190 References 192 Part IIISocial Capital, Living Environment, and Regional Living Functions of Communities 194 6 Social Capital and Living Environment of Rural Villages 197 6.1 What Is Social Capital? 197 6.2 Issues in Social Capital Studies 198 6.3 Social Capital and Studies on Rural Society 199 6.3.1 Theory of Natural Village by Eitaro Suzuki 200 6.3.2 Theory of Same Clan by Tadashi Fukutake 202 6.3.3 Theory of Basic Region by Ichiro Suizu 203 6.3.4 Theory of Community Morale by Hiroshi Suzuki 203 6.4 Micro–Macro Issues in Social Capital Studies 204 6.5 Activities for Livelihood and Social Capital in Settlements in Regions Encountering Population Decline 205 6.5.1 Overview of Analysis on Activities for Livelihood in Settlements in Regions Encountering Population Decline 205 6.5.2 Data Collection Methods 205 6.5.3 Data Collection 206 6.5.4 Survey Results 206 6.5.5 Future Issues and Social Capital 214 References 217 7 Reformation of a Settlement Forced to Move for the Construction of a Dam—The Case of Tsukinoya, a Settlement in Kisuki Town, Un’nan City, Shimane Prefecture 219 7.1 Introduction 219 7.2 Agents and Social Ties 220 7.3 Overview of Obara Dam and Regional Movements 221 7.4 Overview of Approaches in Tsukinoya 225 7.5 Meaning of Approaches in Tsukinoya, Their Social Ties and Social Capital 229 References 232 8 Formation of a Community by Hometown Organizations that Promote Interactions among Residents in Urban and Rural Areas—Activities by Furusato Chikara, a NPO Created by Residents in the Kinki Region and the Case of the Miyoshi Region in Tokushima Prefecture 233 8.1 Introduction 233 8.2 A NPO Furusato Chikara: Background of the Foundation and Construction of Residential Areas 234 8.3 Meaning of Activities and Functions of Furusato Chikara and Miyoshi Town Yururi 238 8.3.1 Impact of Housing Construction Using a Wooden Block Construction Method 238 8.3.2 Environmental Conditions and New Residents of the New Settlement 240 8.4 Conclusion 243 References 245 9 Social Movements and Social Capital in Senri New Town 246 9.1 Introduction: Purpose of This Chapter 246 9.2 History and Overview of Senri New Town 246 9.3 Population Aging and Deterioration of the Housing and Construction Environment 251 9.4 Deterioration of Other Functions and Amenities 252 9.5 Conflicts among Senri New Town Residents 254 9.6 Social Capital and Power of Residents in Senri New Town 256 9.7 Remodeling of the Town and Social Sprawl in the City 256 9.8 Conclusion: Senri New Town as a Re-Experiment City 258 References 259 10 Peripheral Regions in the Era of Regional Crisis, Society 5.0, the Postpandemic and the Posturban—A Concluding and Additional Chapter for the English Edition 261 10.1 Summary of the Chapters of This Book 261 10.2 The Grand New Situation 262 10.2.1 Regional Crisis 263 10.2.2 Society 5.0 263 10.2.3 Postpandemic Society 263 10.2.4 Posturban World 264 10.2.5 Innovation and the Future of Peripheral Depopulated Regions 265 10.2.6 An Experimental Research Field: Okinoshima Town 266 10.3 Further Problems and Possibilities 274 References 275 Postface 277 References 278 Author Index 280 Subject Index 282