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

这项研究调查了自20世纪60年代以来日本农村地区因人口减少而出现的问题。随着日本经济的快速增长，我们看到年轻一代，有时甚至是整个家庭，从山区和偏远岛屿的村庄迁移到大都市地区，寻求更高的收入。人口的减少给维持农业、林业和渔业的经济活力造成了困难。此外，由于农村人口减少，教育、医疗和消防设施等社区服务变得不可行。近年来，尽管与1960年代和1970年代上半叶相比，人口减少不那么明显，但在人口减少的地区出现了以下几个新问题。人口稀少地区老年化率的快速增长尤为明显。最近有一些老年人希望回到家乡，在那里度过退休生活。这一趋势加速了老龄人口的增长。对九州长崎县一个偏远岛屿的进一步研究表明，该岛人口的减少和老龄化影响了捕鱼方式。随着农村青年的离开，一些村庄已经注意到传统节日的时间和内容被打乱了。岛根县一个山区人口稀少地区的研究表明，公共汽车服务变得不可行，市政当局为了居民的福利自行运营公共汽车服务。

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.