Coping with Depopulation and Demographic Ageing in Rural Japan: From Government to Local Governance

Kim  Doo-Chul; Bu  Hye-Jin

doi:10.18690/rg.4.1.3151

Kim Doo-Chul Department of Rural Environment Management, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University
Bu Hye-Jin Department of Rural Environment Management, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/rg.4.1.3151

Keywords: local community, Kawane Promoting Association, local governance, Kawane Village, Japan, depopulation, mountanous village

Abstract

Recently, the Japanese government initiated an administrative process that has resulted in the merging of municipalities across the country. Since then, the quality of services provided to inhabitants by the local government has declined in depopulated areas. As a result, it has been suggested that there may be a role for self-organization in the revival of local governance. Despite having a rapidly ageing population, Kawane village has been particularly successful in revitalizing local governance through reorganization of the local community. This research examines a variety of the community activities involved and the unique management methods behind them in an attempt to ascertain the factors that have resulted in successful selfgovernance in this village.

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Author Biographies

Kim Doo-Chul, Department of Rural Environment Management, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University

Okayama, Japan. E-mail: kim@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp.

Bu Hye-Jin, Department of Rural Environment Management, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University

Okayama, Japan. E-mail: higasi79@yahoo.co.jp.

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