Abstract
This study examines the impact of aging on small villages in depopulated areas in Japan. In response to the decline caused by aging, some Japanese villages received support from local governments through substantial subsidies and the deployment of personnel to the communities. In this research, two small villages in A Prefecture were analyzed to identify their commonalities and differences and elucidate the effects of aging. The two villages in A Prefecture (B Village and C Village) were compared and studied. Since 2014, field visits have been made several times to conduct interviews and observations, with the most recent visit being in February 2023. Both villages created essential facilities, such as shops, through community funding around 2000. Their differences included the location of the villages and their acceptance of new residents. In 2014, the leaders were confident in the sustainability of their organizations. Regarding the changes up to 2023, both villages experienced a reduction in services and a decrease in the number of people involved. Notably, neither village had found a promising successor. However, B Village was seeking cooperation with other organizations within the town. The changes observed were; 1) Due to regional aging and population decline, the scope of activities and maintenance of shops have become unsustainable. 2) The absence of successors was making sustainability difficult. This was attributed to the younger generation not sharing a sense of urgency. In this way, the sustainability of the villages was related to the issue of aging in two ways.
Presenters
Masami NakataAssistant Professor, Depertment of Sociology, Chukyo University, Aichi, Japan Tomoo Nakata
Part-time Lecturer, School of Sociology, Chukyo University, Japan
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Social and Cultural Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Small Villages, Depopulated Areas, Aging
