Research on the Local Exchange Trade System (LETS)

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During the research seminar at the Society of Economical Geography with LETS research specialists, Mr. Toyota Shogo (Energy Culture Research Institute of Osaka Gas), Ms Yamamoto Reiko (Takarazuka Npo Center), and Mr. Noma Katsutoshi (Kobe University of Commerce), discussed the present situation of LETS in Japan and overseas. As the result of the discussion, it has been clarified that the change of urban and local economy and the community transmission effect the expansion of social economy sector and reorganization of local industry accumulation.The field research on the experimental LETS was conduced at Naso village of Yathoton province in Thailand. As the result of the field research, following three points has been clarified. (1) The process of procedure: the LETS was prepared by the collaboration of villagers with the Ngo. (2) The conditions of realized: the village had sustained self-reliable development activities, strong network with the Ngo, and leadership of a Buddhist monk as the spiritual core. (3) The obtained: the villagers gained knowledge pertaining to the natural environment, the health problem and the system of local economy and the combined strength of the community members.From the analysis mentioned above, it is concluded that LETS can be an effective tool for the social economy in Japan.