The study on the making middle or small town's plans reducing or ceasing the growth under globalization

2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 13610194
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 社会学(含社会福祉関係)
• Research Institution: Utsunomiya University
• Principal Investigator: KITAGIMA Shigeru Utsunomiya Univ., Faculty of International studies, Prof., 国際学部, 教授 (80109735)
• Project Period (FY): 2001 – 2002
• Keywords: Towns ceasing the growth / Citizen Participation / the making town / 市民参加

Research Abstract

This research deals with the middle or small towns reducing and ceasing the growth in north-east and Hokkaido area. Fukagawa and Niseko towns are typical ones reducing, and Kitakami city is exceptional growing one not near the center city in Iwate prefecture. I research these three small and middle towns from point of view the making towns plans, and same time I analyzed three by the method of critical structural analysis.
I focussed the making towns plans and their practice of Niseko town. I analyzed historical process of the making town plans and their practice, especially Regulation of the Making Town and of Public Information. Speaking to conclude, citizen's ideas and wisdom has changed the thinking way of administration on the making town by process of corporate between citizens and administration. On the other hand, Fukagawa town is typical pattern of the making town by leading administration, but till development in front of JP station, Fukagawa local government is changing the stance to introduce ideas and wisdom of citizens into the making town. In this sense, the making town of Fukagawa is turning point now.
Kitakami city is rare case of growing one not center cities in Iwate Prefecture. The making city of Kitakami is situated as orientating the core of enlargement of labor market by industrialization. Now Kitakami local government grope for the making city through participation of citizens including NPO, other civil movement groups, also in this sense, the making city of Kitakami faces the turning point as same as Niseko, Fukagawa.