Intra-Regional Network and Regional Policy

Abstract

The studies of common-pool resources (CPRs) like forests, plains, rivers and marines are the key factor to examine the local governmental and socio-economic inferiority problems. In this research, we have shed lights on the Onga River Basin in order to investigate how to attain the sustainable growth paths on which the natural environments can be preserved. The origin of the industrial development in the Onga River Basin started from the establishment of the state-operated steel industry in 1901. The mountains around the Onga River Basin had provided plenty of coals and it became one of the richest regions due to the prosperous coal industry in Japan. After the World War II, however, the switching of the energy resource from coal to oil has deteriorated the economic situation of this region drastically. The high population density and the slack inflow from the ruins of coal mining into the water have caused the Onga River's highly visible pollution. Even now this area faces the serious economic and environmental problems. That is why the residents, the local governments and firms in the Onga River Basin are keen to reconstruct the economic situation without distracting CPRs.By using the networking model, it has been proved that the regional networking channels can be useful procedures to attain the regional industrial development harmonized with the environment and livelihood. To clarify the current situation of the regional environmental strategies, we have visited 30 local governments and asked questions to the focused on three points: (i) the current positions and perspectives of economic and environmental issues, (ii) the expected effects of the regional network channels, or inter-regional cooperation, on the environmental preservation, and (iii) the administrative procedures for promoting and enforcing the regional network channels. Many administrators still want to pursue an old-fashioned, growth-oriented type of regional development. However, they have been aware of not only the risk of illpolluted rivers but importance of preserving the natural resources and environments. Investigations show us that inter-relations between administrations and residents are the keys to implement incentives of the people for conserving the nature. They also imply that the regional networking is expected to be an effective procedure, which can reconstruct the ecosystem around the Onga River Basin. We have found that there are still difficult problems to be overcome in promoting and enforcing the regional network channels. As for the software-side, we need more effective systems by which the residents can easily access and assess the environment education or information. The hardware-side procedure must include the reforms of current administrative structure and local finance system.It must be essential for the local governments in the Onga River Basin to make and strengthen the regional network channels not only to recover the community function among self-supported residents but also to rebuild the damaged relationship of mutual faith among governments, firms and residents. The enhanced regional networks will establish their identity enforcing historical and cultural consciousness.