Rural mobility and socio-spatial impacts in Japan: A case study of Kutchan, Hokkaido

Abstract

Counterurbanisation, a phenomenon signifying the urban exodus, primarily highlights certain aspects of rural mobility while often overlooking its diverse nature. With globalisation, a new wave of challenges has emerged in rural areas due to an increase in transnational mobility, complexities that have remained largely under-explored. This research paper addresses these gaps by examining the impact of rural mobility on Kutchan, Hokkaido, Japan, a rural town that has experienced significant social and spatial transformations due to an influx of domestic and transnational migrants, supplemented by increased investment. By analysing population data from 1959 to 2022, the study identifies the period when rural mobility emerged as the dominant demographic trend. Subsequently, it examines the impact of rural mobility on demographic changes, socio-economic shifts, and housing dynamics in both the ski and non-ski tourism areas of Kutchan during this period. The findings reveal that rural mobility has been the primary factor affecting Kutchan's demographic structure since 2000. From 2000 to 2010, highly educated foreign residents supplanted local Japanese residents with basic education, sparking a rise in housing prices and a transition from small entrepreneurs to large institutions in the ski tourism area. From 2015 to 2020, the influx of large institutions and capital associated with transnational migrants caused a significant rise in housing prices, thereby accelerating the displacement of Japanese residents throughout Kutchan. These social and spatial changes align with the patterns of gentrification. This empirical study contributes to existing scholarship by emphasising the significant temporal and spatial impact of rural mobility in Japan within the context of globalisation.