Community Vitalization and Rebuilding of Small Rural Economies : A Focus on Less-Favored Areas in Japan

This book provides new perceptions of rural community development by considering the relationships between communities and individuals. It addresses how farming and local communities can be maintained in areas facing population decline and increased in abandoned farmland. As a sequel to Farm and Rural Community Management in Less-Favored Areas, this book focuses on the conditions for rebuilding small rural economies through rural community vitalization in less-favored areas of Japan.

Key topics addressed in the book include farmland liquidation and conservation, along with applicable agricultural policies, agribusiness development under a broad-based community development process, the market characteristics of locally processed foods, and the relationship between participation in broad-based community management and residents’ characteristics.

The primary target are hilly and mountainous regions, such as in Shimane Prefecture, in western Japan, and other mountainous areas that are the main less-favored areas in Japan. The book presents findings from econometric and statistical analyses, historical and actual condition surveys.

Academically, the book contributes to the elucidation of community-based regional management through interactions between communities, residents, farmers, and policies. It identifies conditions for rebuilding small rural economies are based on research on the characteristics of regional agriculture and rural communities in less-favored areas.

This book is written for researchers, graduate students, and readers who are concerned about agriculture-based rural development in less-favored areas. It promotes both public and field-level practice in rural areas. The content will be of interest to all those seeking to understand rural society in Japan.

Nobuyoshi Yasunaga, Shimane University

Nobuyoshi Yasunaga is an Associate Professor (Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Science) at the Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Academic Assembly, Shimane University. He completed his studies at the Graduate School of Agriculture at University of Tsukuba in 2003. After working as a researcher at a private think tank, he began his educational career at Shimane University in 2009. His main university classes cover principles of economics, field survey for agricultural economics, and regional economics. His research focuses specifically on agricultural productivity and farmland conservation in hilly and mountainous areas, collective action in rural communities, characteristics of rural community businesses, and the promotion conditions for locally processed foods. He has received significant awards, including the Encouraging Award from the Japan Section of Regional Science Association International (JSRSAI) in 2015 and the Award for Excellent Educational Practice from Shimane University in 2018.

Norikazu Inoue, Kyushu University

Norikazu Inoue is a Professor (Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Science; Professor Emeritus, Shimane University) at the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University. After working as a researcher at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, a senior researcher at the National Agricultural Research Organization, and as an Associate Professor and a Professor at Shimane University, he began his educational career at Kyushu University in 2023. His main university classes cover agricultural and farm management. His research focuses specifically on business development and sustainability enhancement strategies of agricultural and farm management with a focus on regional networks. He received the Award for Excellent Educational Practice from Shimane University in 2018, the Article Award from the Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics Society of Japan in 2019, and the Academic Award from the Farm Management Society of Japan in 2023.

Yukiko Nakama, Shimane University

Yukiko Nakama is an Assistant Professor (Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Science) at the Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Academic Assembly, Shimane University. She completed her studies at the United Graduate School of Agriculture Sciences at Tottori University in 2010 and began her educational career at Shimane University in 2013. Her main university classes cover agricultural policy, field survey for agricultural economics, philosophy of agricultural science, and agricultural history. Her research focuses specifically on agricultural policies in postwar Japan, especially extension services for home living improvement. She has received several major awards, including the Incentive Award from the Rural Life Society of Japan in 2011 and the Female Researcher Award from Shimane University in 2019.