Socio-geographic Research of Depopulated Areas from the Viewpoint of Life Behaviors and Life Cycle

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This research has investigated the problems arising in Japanese rural areas through depopulation since 1960s. With the rapid economic growth in Japan, we saw the flow of younger generation and sometimes whole families migrate from villages in mountainous regions and on remote islands to the metropolitan areas seeking higher incomes. The decrease in population caused difficulties in maintaining the economic viability of agriculture, forestry and fishery. Moreover, community services, such as education, medical care and fire prevention facilities have become unviable due to the rural depopulation. In recent years, despite the less remarkable decrease in population compared to that in 1960s and the first half of 1970s, several new problems have arisen in depopulated areas as follows.1. The rapid growth of the rate of aged persons in depopulated areas is especially noticeable.2. Recently there are some aged people who wish to return to their home villages to spend their retirement there. This tendency has been accelerating the growth of the aged population.3. Further research on a remote island in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu, has shown that the decrease in, and aging of population on the island have influenced fishing method.4. With the exodus of rural youth, it has been noticed in some villages that the period and the content of traditional festivals have been disrupted.5. The research in a mountaineous depopulated area of Shimane Prefecture has shown that public bus services became unviable and municipalities operate bus services by themselves for the welfare of residents.