Rural Community In Japan Research Articles

Family Medicine Implementation to Maternal and Child Health in Rural Japan: A Narrative Review.

This research provides a critical narrative review of maternal and child health (MCH) in rural Japan, reflecting broader challenges faced by aging societies globally. The study explores the intertwined roles of professional and lay care in sustaining rural communities, emphasizing the unique position of family medicine and primary care in enhancing MCH services. The scarcity of healthcare resources, particularly the shortage of obstetricians and the weakening of traditional community support systems, underscores the challenges in these areas. Our review method involved a comprehensive search of PubMed for articles published from April 2000 to August 2024, focusing on MCH issues in rural Japan. This study highlights several critical gaps in rural MCH provision: the migration of medical professionals to urban centers, the transformation of social structures affecting traditional caregiving, and the lack of specialized MCH training among primary care physicians. We discuss potential solutions such as incentivizing obstetric care in rural areas, integrating MCH education within family medicine curricula, and revitalizing community-based support systems. By addressing these issues, the research aims to formulate actionable strategies to bolster MCH services, thus ensuring better health outcomes and sustainability of rural communities in Japan and similar settings worldwide.

From social issue to art site and beyond – reassessing rural akiya kominka

ABSTRACT Akiya or vacant houses are often perceived as threats to their neighborhood, as socio-political problems for local communities, and as objects of difficult decisions for their owners. However, recently there has been a reappraisal of their forgotten qualities and a revival in interest in such houses, especially when considered as sites of a special character suited to different types of cultural events. This article explores the implications of the use of akiya in rural communities in Japan, tracing the trajectory of change from irritating nuisance to local (touristic) attraction and art site. Furthermore, it analyzes how this shift has the potential to lead to their reassessment as valuable resources not only for the revitalization of local communities but also for private choices in everyday life. The article analyzes three specific art installations created within the framework of recurring art festivals and staged within the walls of old vacant dwellings, and the artists’ thoughts behind them, which hint at incentives for akiya use inspired by the sites. The artworks offer opportunities for interactions between residents, artists, and visitors, influencing insider and outsider perceptions of the local community, and they function as innovative playgrounds for local citizens’ and newcomers’ individual choices. Examples from the field show that the artist’s role as yosomono (outsider) ultimately has the potential to pave the way towards a more diverse and creative view of these community assets, changing the perception of the vacant house from being a bothersome and useless legacy into a resource.

Impact of functional independence and sociodemographic factors on post-stroke discharge destination in a super-aged rural community in Japan.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the factors influencing the discharge destination of stroke patients in a super-aged rural community in Japan, focusing on functional independence and sociodemographic factors. Patients and Methods: We enrolled patients recovering from stroke with supratentorial lesions who were admitted to our convalescent rehabilitation hospital. The motor components of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-motor) were assessed for each patient at admission and discharge as explanatory variables. An increase in the FIM-motor scores during hospitalization was also recorded. Additionally, sociodemographic data such as sex, age, and clinical characteristics, such as type of stroke, history of stroke, days from stroke onset to transfer to our convalescent rehabilitation hospital, total duration of hospital stay including acute care, number of co-resident household members, living with a spouse, and number of children were collected. As target values, discharge outcomes were categorized into two groups: returning home and going to a nursing home. Logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: The study sample comprised 160 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 74.80 ± 12.19 years). Of these, 114 were discharged to their homes, and 46 were transferred to nursing homes. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that higher FIM-motor scores at discharge, greater number of co-resident household members, and living with one's spouse were the most powerful predictors of a higher probability of returning home. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that functional independence levels and the number of co-resident household members were crucial factors in predicting the discharge destination of patients after stroke in a super-aged rural community in Japan. These findings imply that for older patients with lower functional independence, supportive social networks are essential for home discharge, offering clues for providing long-term healthcare in super-aged rural communities worldwide.

Non-optimal impacts of internet expansion on community capacity in rural areas

Population decline and aging have caused various critical problems in rural areas in developed countries, including Japan. Recently, information and communication technology (ICT) has widely spread even in rural areas. International research has been steadily increasing on the relationships between individuals’ internet use, their offline activities, and their sense of community. Previous studies have shown that ICT affects rural communities in a variety of ways such as through social capital, sense of community, place attachment, and residents’ participation in local activities. However, few researchers have examined these impacts in rural Japan, the country with the world’s most aged population and a rich ICT infrastructure. This study examined the impacts of ICT on rural community in Japan with a special focus on community capacity. The result showed that non-internet users engaged in offline local activities more actively and had a higher sense of community than did users. However, the group that actively used the internet for purposes both related and unrelated to the community also engaged most actively in offline local activities and had the highest sense of community. In contrast, the group that used the internet for purposes unrelated to the community (shopping, entertainment, etc.) did not engage in offline local activities and had the least sense of community. This study provides significant insights into how ICT should be introduced into rural areas where the ICT penetration is expected to be higher in the future.

Successful Aging in a Rural Community in Japan by Kimiko Tanaka and Nan E. Johnson (review)

Successful Aging in a Rural Community in Japan by Kimiko Tanaka and Nan E. Johnson (review)

Successful Aging in a Rural Community in Japan, by KimikoTanaka and Nan E.Johnson, Kawanehonchō: Carolina Academic Press, 2021. 168 pp. $30 SC. ISBN: 9781531018610.

Rural SociologyEarly View Book Review Successful Aging in a Rural Community in Japan, by Kimiko Tanaka and Nan E. Johnson, Kawanehonchō: Carolina Academic Press, 2021. 168 pp. $30 SC. ISBN: 9781531018610. Morgan Duffy, Corresponding Author Morgan Duffy [email protected] Brigham Young UniversitySearch for more papers by this author Morgan Duffy, Corresponding Author Morgan Duffy [email protected] Brigham Young UniversitySearch for more papers by this author First published: 30 May 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12501Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue RelatedInformation

Protective and high-risk social activities associated with homebound status among older adults in rural Japan

Becoming homebound can be devastating for older adults in rural communities. This study aimed to identify protective or high-risk social activities associated with homebound status among the rural young old (ages 65–74) and the oldest old (ages ≥ 75). We used data from a survey of older adults in a rural community of Japan in 2014. Questions covered sociodemographic characteristics, homebound status (i.e., going out less than once a week), physical and psychological status, and social activities. Using survey data, we conducted logistic regression analysis to identify protective and high-risk social activities associated with homebound status. Of the 1,564 participants, 51.0 % were the oldest old, and the mean age was 75.2 (±7.0) years. The prevalence of homebound status was 10.5 % total: 5.2 % among the young old and 15.7 % among the oldest old and highest among the female oldest old (19.4 %). The main protective social activity for the young and the oldest old was visiting friends’ houses (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 5.38, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.64–17.64 and AOR 3.49, 95 % CI 1.07–11.42, respectively). For the young old, specific high-risk social activities were advising family and friends (AOR 0.07, 95 % CI 0.01–0.62) and activities to support older adults (AOR 0.17, 95 % CI 0.03–0.84). For the oldest old, a protective social activity was participating in long-term care prevention programs (AOR 28.94, 95 % CI 1.90–441.63). To prevent rural older adults from becoming homebound, support should be provided according to protective and high-risk social activities for age groups, with particular attention to safe socialization amid the threat of COVID-19.

Metabolic syndrome and risk of stroke incidence in a rural community in Japan

Objective To investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and stroke incidence in a rural population by a prospective cohort study over 18.6 years.Methods From 1996 to 1998, 4,068 subjects (aged 40-74 years) underwent a health checkup in O city, Ehime Prefecture, Japan, and 3,969 subjects were included, excluding those with a history of stroke, to determine whether they had suffered a stroke or died from stroke by the end of December 2018. The subjects were stratified into six groups on the presence of high waist circumference at baseline and the number of risk factors (0, 1, or 2 or more) for high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and high blood glucose, according to the diagnostic criteria for MetS in Japan. Kaplan-Meier analysis of MetS survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate sex- and age-adjusted hazard ratios and population attributable fractions (PAFs) for total stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and cerebral infarction.Results During the follow-up period, 376 patients were identified as having had a stroke; the percentage of MetS in the stroke group was 15.2% compared to 9.4% in the non-stroke group, a significant difference. The sex- and age-adjusted hazard ratios for total stroke and cerebral infarction were approximately 2-fold higher in the groups with 1 risk and 2 or more risks, regardless of waist circumference, than in the group with normal waist circumference and no risks. PAF to total stroke incidence was highest in the group with normal waist circumference and 1 risk factor (18.9%).Conclusions The contribution of MetS to stroke incidence was not significant. Consistent with previous findings, the risk of stroke was increased in non-obese individuals who had at least one risk factor, such as high blood pressure.

Assessing green management in health belief model: An analysis of a post-disaster rural context

Previous studies have highlighted ecosystem-based management (EBM) related pro-environmental behaviors. EBM is based on the engagement of local communities in disaster-affected areas. However, few studies have explored the association between residents' health conditions and their perceptions of and capacities for EBM in post-disaster community development. Residents' health and psychological well-being is essential to maintaining their EBM-related motivations. Thus, this article investigated whether the awareness of personal health and Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) can be reflected in pro-environmental behaviors in the health belief model (HBM) in post-disaster contexts. As part of a case study in a disaster-affected rural community in Japan's Miyagi prefecture, a survey was conducted and the hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model (SEM). The Great East Japan Earthquakes and Tsunami in 2011 affected the study site, in the Maehama community, the Camellia Forest Project was initiated following this disaster as part of the ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) initiatives for post-disaster development. The empirical results confirmed the indirect influence of Eco-DRR factors and health perceptions on pro-environmental behaviors. In particular, the analysis showed that among HBM's perceived factors, perceived benefits of health promotion, Eco-DRR perceptions, social cohesion were positively associated with residents' ordinary green management. It also showed that green self-efficacy positively affected ordinary green management. Mowing/weeding experience was a significant representative cue to action and had a positive effect on residents' green management. Thus, this article shows that practicing a healthy lifestyle through green management, integrating Eco-DRR development benefits the sustainability and environmental health of resilient communities.

Neighbourhood walkability and obesity among adults in rural Japan: results from a Japanese health database.

Walkable neighbourhoods promote physical activity and prevent obesity, but there is limited evidence to inform urban planning strategies for public health within the context of rural Japan. This study describes associations between neighbourhood walkability and obesity in Toyama, a regional municipality in Japan. A cross-sectional analysis of the Toyama Prefecture National Health Insurance data (n=3454) in 2016 using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and binary logistic regression. Walk Score® was used to estimate neighbourhood walkability. Residents from highly walkable neighbourhoods generally had lower mean body mass index (BMI), but significant associations between neighbourhood walkability and BMI and prevalence of obesity were only observed in women (adjusted OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.26-0.80). Men below 65years old had higher obesity prevalence (adjusted OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.34-2.30). Daily alcohol consumption was associated with lower odds of being obese among men (adjusted OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55-0.95). Hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia were associated with higher obesity prevalence among residents, regardless of gender. Walkable environment may improve health outcomes for rural communities in Japan. Further studies are required to create equitable and inclusive living spaces for men and women to access healthier lifestyle choices.

Green self-efficacy for blue-green infrastructure management in a post-disaster recovery phase: empirical research in a small rural community

ABSTRACT Though coastal environments are recognized as important community resources, the post-disaster reconstruction phase, an artificial-oriented strategy for human security and coastal development, may degrade coastal landscapes and avert pro-environmental behaviors. However, the impact of these outcomes has been studied to a limited extent only. This study aimed to explore residents’ pro-environmental behavior, green performance, and motivation for coastal green infrastructure (CGI) through the difference in high-low green self-efficacy (GSE). Survey data was used for a small rural community in Japan, where residents started the Camellia Forest Project as CGI after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEJET) under coastal artificial development. To examine the difference in high-low-GSE by participants’ characteristics, environmental behaviors, and awareness, odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. The results showed that residents’ characteristics – men, retirement age, second-generation household type, and mowing experience – were positively associated with high-GSE. People having high-GSE showed more effects on their coastal green management, Eco-DRR (OR: 6.04, 95% CI, 2.02–18.04), and social cohesion (OR: 6.27; 95% CI, 0.97–14.38) than those with low GSE in the post-disaster recovery process. This study suggests that GSE offers a base to nurture residents’ commitment to a coastal green environmental restoration under CGI development.

The Role of Internal Migration in Sustaining Rural Communities in Japan: The Case of Aso City in Kumamoto

Abstract The shrinking of Japan’s rural areas, caused partly by continuous out-migration of younger people to the major cities, is an amply discussed topic in Japanese society and popular media. Even though a certain trend of counter-urbanisation exists despite larger depopulation patterns, many of these migrants do not stay permanently and therefore cannot contribute to sustaining rural areas in the long term. Previous studies argue that considering each community’s characteristics is important in order to find possible ways to sustain rural areas and attract new residents. Therefore, this study focuses on the case of Aso City, aiming to clarify the criteria that makes migration to Aso City appealing or unappealing, and to identify the factors responsible for enabling (or complicating) the act of permanently settling there. In order to do so, the author conducted a survey in Aso City using semi-structured interviews. While the beauty of the natural surroundings, quality of life, and social connectedness are the main positive qualities of Aso City, its infrastructure, demographic development, and economic situation are assessed more negatively by its residents. Further, this study shows that the better a person’s local social connections upon arrival, the more likely they are to find a place to live and work, and stay on a long-term basis. In order to attract new residents to rural areas and support their permanent settlement, it is important to help them obtain the resources necessary for settling and assist their transition into the social structure of the community.

Community Involvement in Forest Resource Utilization: Case Study of Rural Communities in Japan and Indonesia

Community Involvement in Forest Resource Utilization: Case Study of Rural Communities in Japan and Indonesia

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUSTAINABILITY OF GEMMEINSCHAFT-TYPE OF RURAL COMMUNITIES IN DEPOPULATION ASSOCIATED WITH AGING IN NORTHERN KYOTO AREAS, JAPAN

Like other mountainous areas in Japan, the northern areas of Kyoto Prefecture have been experiencing serious depopulation with aging. The demographic phenomena have directly impacted the sustainability of rural communities. The impacts of depopulation with aging are exhaustive and on almost all aspects of rural life in the case of Gemmeinschaft-type of communities: irrigation management, co-work for agricultural road maintenance, co-work for common property such as pond and forestry, and other many functions related to daily life. Thus, the impacts of depopulation with aging are much more serious for the sustainability of community in the case of Gemmeinschaft-type of rural communities in Japan. The research used Survey Method on forty-five (45) rural communities in the areas which was done in 2011 to identify demographic factors of rural communities for their sustainability as a community. These rural communities were located in hilly and mountainous areas which generally have disadvantageous position for socioeconomic development and have small population with high percentage of elderly people who are older than 65 years old. The rural community, whose elderly people share higher than 50% of the total population, is called “a marginal village” indicating a difficulty of maintaining community activities. However, despite the similar circumstance, those communities demonstrated different dynamism of community activities.

Evaluation of Higher-Level Instrumental Activities of Daily Living via Micro-Doppler Radar Sensing of Sit-to-Stand-to-Sit Movement.

This paper presents an evaluation technique for higher-level instrumental activities of daily living (HL-IADLs), which are defined as relatively complicated modern daily activities to perform independently, using micro-Doppler radar (MDR) signatures of sit-to-stand-to-sit (STSTS) movements. Because HL-IADLs are useful for evaluating the degree of disability and cognitive decline in daily life, this study aims to develop a system that enables the identification of individuals with HL-IADL impairments in an unconstrained manner. The study participants were elderly adults of age 65–74 years of rural communities in Japan, and their motion parameters in natural STSTS were extracted via a single 24-GHz MDR installed on the ceiling. Their HL-IADLs were evaluated using a questionnaire-based scale called the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence (JST-IC). The relationship between the HL-IADLs scaled with the JST-IC and the extracted STSTS parameters were statistically analyzed, and the results revealed that the extracted parameters were associated with the JST-IC score. Furthermore, an appropriately accurate screening method was verified for elderly adults with HL-IADL impairment using the extracted parameters.

The determinants of collective action in irrigation management systems: Evidence from rural communities in Japan

We examine the characteristics of water user associations (WUAs) that affect the success of collective action for irrigation management. Using random-effects ordered probit models and a large panel dataset from 104,523 rural communities, the results of the econometric analysis verify the hypotheses in the existing empirical literature and confirm the robustness of the theory of collective action in the context of irrigation management. Our results show that collective action for irrigation management depends on the distance from the market, area of paddy field, share of non-farmers and elderly farmers, share of paddy field, and social capital. We also find that collective action has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the number of farm households and diversity in farmers’ landholdings, and a U-shaped relationship with the diversity of a community’s farmers. The results suggest that as the characteristics of irrigation systems and user groups can change little in the short run, policies aimed at suppressing deteriorating collective action for irrigation management need to enhance social ties in a community, thereby promoting community-level social capital.

Six-University Coordinated Program in Rural Communities in Japan and Indonesia

Six-University Coordinated Program in Rural Communities in Japan and Indonesia

Innovation in Rural Japan: Entrepreneurs and Residents Meeting the Challenges of Aging and Shrinking Agricultural Communities

This paper examines the function and features of entrepreneurial leadership in aging rural communities in Japan, referring to the Schumpeterian concept of entrepreneurship. In the demographically oldest society, Japan, agricultural communities in rural hilly and mountainous regions suffer most from demographic change. This usually leads to decline in the regional economy. Such communities have to redefine local business in order to survive. Schumpeter (2006) claims the importance of the function of entrepreneurs: they create innovation through new combinations of given resources with a strong leadership. In aging communities, elderly residents as a large population group there should and could be combined in a new business; however, in most communities they are not integrated into enterprises. The cases examined here suggest that the entrepreneurs who contribute to the economic reconstruction of the communities have, beside typical entrepreneurial features, strong empathy for the community, as well as for the residents there.JEL Codes: J14, L26, O22, P25

大鎌邦雄編, 『日本とアジアの農業集落-組織と機能-』, 清文堂, 2009年, v+298頁

大鎌邦雄編, 『日本とアジアの農業集落-組織と機能-』, 清文堂, 2009年, v+298頁

YAGUCHI, Yoshio. Prospects for the Future of Agriculture and Rural Community in Japan

YAGUCHI, Yoshio. <i>Prospects for the Future of Agriculture and Rural Community in Japan</i>