Studies on regional population of Japan before 1960's

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Studies on population issues in Japan during the second half of 19^<th> century and the first half of 20^<th> century, in particular from a regional perspective, has been still less developed and the aim of this research project was to prepare demographic database of Japan in the first half of the 20^<th> century for scientific studies and to investigate factors for changes in demographic dynamics, migration and household structures during the period considering for applying demographic transition theory in the pre-war Japan. In addition, this project was conducted mainly by the members of Study Group on Population Issues from a Regional Perspective in Population Association of Japan, composed of scholars from various disciplines. This research project yielded the following results; 1) completed demographic database concerning number of births and deaths by prefecture after 1900, estimates of net-migrants, net-migration rate by prefecture after 1920 and various demographic indicators at regional level derived from Population Census and Vital Statistics of Japan, 2) based on the database, net out-migration from the rural areas and net inflow to the urban areas were identified in the pre-war Japan and we recognized that return migration to the rural areas observed even in the 1920's, 3) We investigated the interrelationship between natural increase and net-migration at prefecture level, seasonal disparity of mortality, factors for changing household structures and discussed the demographic transition processes of pre-war Japan from a regional perspective, 4) Land use changes at micro level in connection with population increase and urbanization and the micro-level population developments concerning Ryukyu Islands were also investigated. The following points are left as future problems, 1) making more detailed database, 2) more researches on the interrelationship among demographic natural increase of population, migration and urbanization at regional level.