2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Construction of new population geography in the age of population stagnation and decline
| Project/Area Number |
15202024
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Section | 一般 |
|---|
| Research Field |
Human geography
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
ISHIKAWA Yoshitaka Kyoto Uni., Graduate School of Letters, Professor, 文学研究科, 教授 (30115787)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
YUI Yoshimichi Hiroshima Uni., Graduate School of Letters, Associate Professor, 大学院・教育学研究科, 助教授 (80243525)
TAHARA Yuko Kokugakuin Uni., Fac.of Economics, Associate Professor, 経済学部, 助教授 (40282511)
ESAKI Yuji Senshu Uni., Fac.of Letters, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (40282503)
HIRAI Makoto Kanagawa Uni., Fac.of Foreign Studies, Associate Professor, 外国語学部, 助教授 (40367248)
NAKAYA Tomoki Ritsumeikan Uni., Fac.of Letters, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (20298722)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
|
| Keywords | population decline / aging / foreigner / replacement migration / population geography / family / household / health level |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
This research project for the period of 2003-2005 academic years has attained a number of notable results. They will be published in a detailed way in the forthcoming book, but a part of major finding can be mentioned as follows.
As a consequence of population aging due to fertility decline since the mid-1970s, the total population of Japan began to decrease in 2005. Its influence is considered to produce important influences on various affairs, but, from geographical point-of-view, the followings are noteworthy. Regarding family/household, trend towards nuclear family has been remarkable until the mid-1970s, but the recent movement is summarized as a diversification of family/household. Its spatial pattern is so complicated that we cannot describe it simply like distinction between the three largest metropolitan areas and the non-metropolitan (peripheral) areas. In addition, impact of declining fertility during the past decades on migration (particularly, long-distance migration) has a
… More
ppeared in the forms of decline of migration rate and spatial shrink of migration areas. Return migration (or, the so-called "U-turn migration) of young adults to peripheral areas has not shown a favorable progress, suggesting a difficulty in having an expectation that the return migration will contribute to solution of various issues therein in the age of depopulation. In addition, it is interesting to note, however, that massive retirement of the baby boomers is drawing nearer and a part of them may return to their homeland situated in the peripheral areas. It deserves s great attention from the perspective of population geography. Furthermore, with regard to immigrants from abroad who are expected to play an important role of compensating for decrease of majority population, a careful analysis focused on their migration pattern reveals that they tend to have a strong orientation to destinations with competitive industrial sectors and accumulation of co-ethics and international marriage also has a certain importance. Less
|
