Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

This paper investigates a former coalfield community in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The Omine coalfield is located at the centre of Yamaguchi Prefecture, now known as Mine City. After the shutting down of the mines, the population has dropped significantly and as of 2019, only about 24,000 people live in the city. This study examines the aftermath of the former residential area of workers, especially two areas in Mine City. Toyoura, the largest residential area of 1,250 households lived in the peak period, is now transformed to a prison called Mine Rehabilitation Program Centre in 2007. The prison was not the ultimate goal for the city; in fact, the place was firstly for the invitation of enterprise. However, none of the companies showed an interest, and so the prison was established. On the other hand, Shiraiwa, the second-largest residential area, is now covered by solar panels. The 13-hectare land can supply electricity to 2,200 homes with a 7-megawatt (MW) of power. We cannot see, unfortunately, any trace of the life of miners in recent years. This paper shows the possibility of sustainable development for the former coal communities. All coal communities have faced difficulties in local development after the closure of the mine. Although the study is based on a specific Japanese local community, the findings contribute not only to Japan but also to other communities.