In this paper, the author analyzed the location trends and location factors of Japanese craft breweries from 1994 to 2020, and considered growth issues. As a result, it was found that today's Japanese craft breweries are at the following stages; (1) The number of independent businesses has become nearly half of the total operating organization, and it is being established as an entity that spreads craft beer at its own discretion. (2) They are in the process of laying the foundation for their business, especially in large cities with a large population, a 40-54 year old population and many high-income consumers. For future growth, it is necessary to develop a strategy to create a connection among “ local community-brewery-beer-customer ” by promoting networking with local residents and deepening their involvement in community activities.

View full abstract

In recent years, efforts to solve regional problems using high schools have been attracting attention. There is a view that this effort originated from a “nodal point” where the two major trends of modern education reform and regional revitalization overlap. This paper focused on the idea of a nodal point and considered the significance of efforts to solve regional problems using high schools, using the transition of inquiry / practical education as a foothold. We also conducted a fact-finding survey to clarify how such efforts have taken root in Mie Prefecture. As a result, we saw new movements in which efforts are being made voluntarily in a way that suits the actual conditions of each school. And in this voluntary movement, “human connection” played a major role.

View full abstract

Recently, the environment of food retail business in Japan is significantly changing. In this situation, many of the major Japanese food retail companies are trying to merge or affiliate smaller ones in the regions and reorganize their own distributions. As a result, a lot of regional food processing companies, which used to depend on the order placements of the regional food retail companies, tend to lose their business partners and be in trouble receiving new orders and continuing their business. In this research, as a new approach to this situation, the author organized new region clusters in Shikoku area, according to their “region icon products”, and employed methods for market development which were considered appropriate for their production capacity. In addition, the author quantified the estimate of the economic ripple effect on the area to show how much they contributed to regional activations and created a new highly reproducible supply chain model.

View full abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors to enhance rural revitalization of BOP business in developing countries on the basis of endogenous development theory. I also analyzed the impact of Drishtee on rural areas. Drishtee has been conducting BOP business in rural India for more than 20 years. Endogenous development theory is an approach to consider the area development with local residents taking the lead based on regional characteristics. I applied Miyamoto’s 4th principles(1989) of this theory to Drishtee’ s business model, and clarified the features. In addition, this paper pointed out that key players of Drishtee’s business are “rural entrepreneur” and “mobilizer” who play a role in utilizing local resources. Through the above discussion, it is clear that BOP business such as Drishtee creates new jobs and provides various products and services to their village. In other words, they have a positive impact on the area.

View full abstract

Minimum wages are set by prefecture, since economic conditions vary from region to region. On the other hand, the same minimum wage is applied in all areas of the prefecture. In order to consider employment policies in each area of the prefecture, it is important to know how the impact of the minimum wage varies by labor market size. This paper investigates the impact of minimum wages on the local labor market using data from the Public Employment Security Offices (Kyujin-Kyusyoku Balance Sheets). Through the analysis, I obtained the following results. The effect of an increase in the minimum wage on labor supply is larger in small cities and counties, the decrease in labor demand due to an increase in the minimum wage is larger in urban areas, and an increase in the minimum wage tends to reduce the effective job offer ratio for service and sales occupations.

View full abstract

In recent years, many local governments have been setting up Akiya Banks (the vacant houses bank system) with the aim of promoting urban-rural migration and decreasing the number of vacant houses. Previous studies showed that it relatively easier to establish a relationship between urban-rural migrants and residents through living in vacant houses. However, it is still unknown whether the type of residence and the use of vacant house bank system affect the relationship. Therefore, this study explores how social conflicts between migrants living in vacant houses and residents or social conflicts between migrants living in new houses and residents are caused and how the social conflicts are affected by Akiya Banks. In order to archive our goals, an interview survey is conducted in Ikeda Town, Nagano Prefecture. As a result, we concluded that the social conflicts of vacant house migration are more caused than them of new construction migration and it caused by differences in the type of residence, mediation method, and resolution.

View full abstract

In this research, we considered the ideal way of tourism education in tourist areas from the educational viewpoints of architects, civil engineering designers, landscape architects, and urban planners. As a result, it was found that curiosity develops through peripheral education and self-experience, practical education awakens oneself, and the spiritual values obtained through travelling abroad create a perspective of contextualism in the regionality.

View full abstract

From around March 2020, needs for food supply surged at food banks amid the impacts of COVID-19. Against this background, the author analyzed food supply requests submitted to a food bank in western Saitama Prefecture. The study is intended to shed light on actual conditions of poor households. A survey was conducted to analyze the food supply requests filed to a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) called Food Bank Nishi Saitama from January 2020 until July 2020. In the survey, the author studied the topic in terms of the monthly number of requests, age, gender, and family structures of users, and other details regarding users. The reslts from the analysis show that young single women, middle-aged single men, older people, and child-rearing households are more likely to apply for food aid. This suggests that the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is more evident among nonregular workers, women engaged in the tourism and restaurant industries, older people who cannot live on pensions alone, and child-rearing households whose burden increased due to school closure. Going forward, the author urges that various organizations continue providing care to each of people in need in a coordinated and supportive manner

View full abstract

Regarding regional branding research in Japan, the background and purpose of the research were organized through literature reviews. Based on the comparison with overseas, the characteristics of regional branding in Japan were clarified that there are three main differences in comparison with overseas: (1) differences in the application of marketing theory, (2) differences in objects, and (3) differences in the scope. Based on these characteristics, this paper presented policy implications for the institutional design of “Japanese-style regional branding” integrated with community-oriented efforts such as MACHIZUKURI (community development), and the theorization concerning brand management.

View full abstract

Local human resource development projects aimed at regional revitalization continue to be an important initiative, and it is essential to analyze and utilize appropriate information and data based on the current situation in the region. So far, several studies on visualization of text data of newspaper articles at the national newspaper level have been reported, and their effectiveness is beginning to attract attention. In this study, we examined whether data analysis and visualization of articles in local newspapers containing information rooted in the region would be effective in order to contribute to regional revitalization. As a result of coding each of the keywords “sixth industrialization” and “regional trading company” into four concepts and confirming the annual change, it was recognized that it was sufficiently effective to visualize the change.

View full abstract

This study focused on the importance of Self-awareness in entrepreneurship education and examined the effectiveness of the LEGO®︎ SERIOUS PLAY®︎（LSP） for fostering it. In conducting the analysis, first, we analyzed the text mining（reflection of the LSP process）and questionnaire surveys（Grit and Self-efficacy）. The results confirmed the subjects（N=8） cognitive actions toward thoughts and emotions, and then, their explanations of the objects based on their own value judgments and decision-making. In addition, it also showed positive effects on Grit and Consistency of Interest. Also, negative effects on Self-efficacy were shown.

View full abstract

This study is to understand the awareness of multiple residences in multiple regions and workation at the time of emergency declaration for infectious diseases that spread all over the world in 2020. This research uses the panel data collected on the web for Tokyo and Osaka. The analysis shows that with the epidemic of infectious diseases, we are interested in multiple residences in multiple regions and workation. It was found that males and young people have a high proportion of interest in multiple residences in multiple regions, and females and elderly individuals have workation.

View full abstract

The residents’ movement is a means of conveying the will of the people by approaching the government and local governments, but there are few people who evaluate the movement theory about the factors of the success of the movement. In this study, we took up the Kasumigaura Takahama Bay reclamation project and the residents’ movement against the project. The Kasumigaura Takahama Bay Reclamation Project was a reclamation project second only to Hachirogata in domestic lake reclamation, which would make about 1,400 hectares of farmland, but was canceled in the 1970s. The reason for the cancellation is considered to be a surplus of rice and an increase in water demand, but there are few evaluations about the residents’ movement. Therefore, the residents’ movement for Kasumigaura Takahama Bay reclamation project was evaluated by comparing it with the movement theory of community organizer. It was concluded that the people’s intention was reflected and the business was canceled by the movement of this resident movement continuously and systematically for a long time.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to focus on the public nature of public building and to clarify the effects of citizen participation in the facility development process and the roles of experts and administrative staff. The Shiwa Town Information Exchange Center of the Shiwa Town Ogal Project in Iwate Prefecture, which was the target example of this research, was developed by citizen participation based on the policy of the mayor of Shiwa Town, “Dialogue Town Administration”, and as a result, the profitability of private tenants was improved. It functions as a facility for attracting customers. As a result of the verification, it was clarified that the expansion of the concept of the library was secured by the participation of the citizens, and that the collaboration with the administrative staff and experts clarified the purpose of sharing and led to the development of building open to the citizens.

View full abstract

In recent years, many cities in Japan are actively working on events that utilize animation content to revitalize urban areas and promote tourism development. Among these events, the animation stamp collecting events which is a pedestrian rambling activity had attracted many attentions. This study collected information on 47 animation stamp collecting events held in 28 cities in Japan. By analyzing those data, three characteristics of animation stamp collecting events were identified: 1. Characteristic of host cities, 2. Types of urban spaces being used as event route points, 3. Characteristics of pedestrian rambling activities. Through the comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the animation stamp collecting events and the host cities, these events were classified into 5 major types: 1. Transportation promotion type, 2. Wide area content location tour type, 3. Urban content location tour type, 4. Tourism and commerce harmony type, 5. Economic revitalization promotion type. Through these 5 types of animation stamp collecting events, most cities that hold this event have a relationship with the animation content. But for revitalizing the urban areas, a lot of events’ check-in points are set on commercial urban spaces where have no relationship with the animation content. Taking a good balance of animation content and cities' economics will be important for animation stamp collecting events in the future.

View full abstract

Austria has been working on reducing its environmental impact at the national level, and the MICE industry has also been trying to reduce its waste and carbon emissions through the establishment of Green Meetings and Green Events (GMs). This paper examines the mechanism of GMs and the secondary values that can be brought to the region by addressing environmental impacts, based on a case study of the Tyrol region of Austria. As a result, it was found that GMs is an accreditation system and that there is a mechanism in place to steadily reduce the environmental impact of GMs as long as they meet the specified standards, and that utilizing local resources for MICE is expected to not only reduce the environmental impact but also improve the image of the region. This is thought to be the value that the region can gain by engaging in GMs.

View full abstract

This research elucidates the actual state of value co-creation among actors in tourist areas. Opportunities for people outside the region, known as the “related population,” to come in contact with the region are increasing, but their opportunities to enter the region and add to the actual value co-creation within the region have not been fully realized. Using Nishiaizu Town as an example, we visualized the activities of various actors who came in contact with the region. The theory was described in SCAT from the an analytical viewpoint of analysis of the service ecosystem and the process of knowledge creation process. As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the two “places,”, the practice field and the area, went back and forthgot interchanged, the bases for sharing knowledge within the area were utilized, and the institutional logic was shared on the premise of value co-creation.

View full abstract

In the private university, 184 universities out of 593 universities cause “Shortage of Students”. As for public universities, six universities have opened since the first year of Reiwa. Why did a local government with a difficult financial situation establish a public university when everyone could enter a university? Sanjo City University and Professional College of Arts and Tourism were analyzed as case studies. As a result, it became clear that the new universities were established in order to utilize the narrow region and unique local resources for human resource development, as well as to create a synergistic effect to develop the region. If an attempt is made to achieve this by expanding existing universities, complicated adjustments will be required, and it will be difficult to achieve it quickly.

View full abstract

Both researchers and practitioners has been repeatedly underscoring the importance of the resident’s participation in the public facility managements and community based tourism . However, at the era of “100-year-life”, previous research has not concretely discussed the created value through the government-nonprofit partnership and tourism yet. This paper analyzes the cases of three public facilities managed by the government-nonprofit partnership, through the qualitative analysis with the Interviews of the related officials. The author discovered that local government called for volunteers and provided financial resources, NPOs managed volunteers, and improve the facilities’ hardware and software, and the importance of the places for various residents to demonstrate the abilities and good will.

View full abstract

This study quantitatively examined typological classification regarding consumers’ purchasing habits and preferences for local sake brewing to consider the sustainable development measures for local sake brewing companies scattered in rural areas. Factor and cluster analyses of the consumer data obtained from a 2020 web questionnaire survey with the cooperation of the Shimane Sake Brewing Association showed the following findings. First, consumer preferences could be predominantly explained by five factors including “information on brewing,” “brand name,” “rice as a material,” “taste,” and “place of communication for buying.” Second, the consumers were classified into material-oriented, brand-oriented, information-oriented, and self-experience-oriented segments. Third, these typological differences were related to their usual drinking habits such as the level of interest in alcoholic beverages defined by the alcoholic beverages they most frequently purchase, purchasing place, and the information source. We also confirmed that the self-experience-oriented consumer segment tends to seek real-life experiences and communication opportunities. While these demands and consumers’ preferences exist, local breweries are scattered and possess their own distribution channels. These findings imply that cross-sectional and locally specific measures are further needed for each local brewing company to respond to the diversified consumers’ groups to maintain local sake brewing companies.

View full abstract

This study designs a model to realize “a state in which activities as a member of the community by external university students are continuously carried out” in depopulated local community where there is a significant outflow of students to higher education, focusing on the “sustainability” of the mechanism and activities. We then set up an activity evaluation framework and implemented the “Weekend Residence Program” in Daisen Town, Tottori Prefecture, for two years to verify its effectiveness. As a result, we found that the voluntary cooperation of external university students is important for the sustainable operation of the basic mechanisms: (1) residential base and (2) mobility support, and that the coordination functions: (A) provision of local information and introduction of community actors, and (B) promotion of dialogue among external university students are necessary for the sustainable creation of activities. It was also indicated that it is important to share rules and roles to reduce the awareness gap between university students and community actors．

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

In recent years, the mission of social contribution in universities has been attracting attention. Expectations are also rising for the role that universities play in regional revitalization. In this paper, we tried to visualize the actual situation of collaboration with regional companies, which is one of the forms of regional cooperation of universities. We categorized the partner companies of joint research according to their location and company size, and investigated the actual situation of regional cooperation. As a result, it became clear that there is a large difference in the tendency of regional cooperation between universities in the metropolitan area and other local universities, and that each national, public and private university has its own characteristics. Collaboration with local companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, is often based on the needs of the companies. The problem-solving approach is considered to be important for regional revitalization.

View full abstract

Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture has been trying various unique projects of regional activation making use of snow as regional resource. There have been fragmentary and sporadic some provisions of information and reports about the projects making use of snow of Okura Village, but there is no report which marshals the projects of Okura Village from the viewpoint of regional activation making use of snow comprehensively. There is no previous study which studies the projects of regional activation making use of snow of Okura Village on the level of academic work. Firstly, this paper marshals the overview of Okura Village and the situation of snowfall and accumulated snow of Okura Village. Secondly, this paper reports some of the projects of regional activation making use of snow of Okura Village. Finally, this paper studies future subjects and further research subjects of the projects of regional activation making use of snow of Okura Village, and sums up all over this paper.

View full abstract

“Kumano-zakura”, which has been confused with Yamazakura for many years in the Kumano area, has been recognized as a new cherry tree species discovered for the first time in hundred years. In Kumano City, we are working from various fields to utilize new types of cherry for regional creation. However, the movement of other prefectures (Wakayama prefecture) is quick, and the movement of Kumano city is said to be slightly behind. Therefore, Mie University was added, and we came to think of an approach that made the best use of Kumanozakura and historical sites as new tourism resources. In this report, we will focus on Kumanozakura and consider the sightseeing strategy of Kumano city.

View full abstract

Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to understand the current situation of the workplaces for people with hearing disabilities and to find better accommodations for them. Design/methodology/approach- This paper integrates interviews and observations to develop case studies for four special subsidiaries in Japan to gain insights into the accommodations of employees with hearing disabilities and best practice of employers. Findings- By interviewing four companies with proven track records in the employment of deaf people, we were able to verify the importance of sign language and how it can be effectively incorporated into the working environment. Originality/value- This article raises awareness that people with hearing disabilities are powerful workforces in appropriate working environments. Japan is successfully implementing establishing the environment with rational accommodations to employ individuals with disabilities. This success is exemplified by people with hearing disabilities and their employers; and the importance of integrating communication specific to deaf culture like sign language.

View full abstract

Human resource who takes vital roles in a local region is essential factor to solve many regional issues of regional revitalization, as a decline of regional company or society. A multiple jobs project was started.to solve the lack of human resources. The project invites human resources in metropolitan area to some companies in local region and they engage jobs in those companies. The multiple jobs project doesn’t required emigrant nor job change, so low risk and high chance from engaging multiple jobs is realized. Otherwise, local companies could have a chance to utilize highly skilled personnel and test a new business or an improvement with low cost and risk. Metropolitan highly skilled personnel interacted with local companies would be related population of the region and the region would vitalize by the interaction.

View full abstract