Fumie Kumagai – författare

This book provides an insightful sociological study of the declining Japanese population, using statistical analysis to establish the significance of municipal power using demographic data on national, regional, prefectural and municipal levels. Penned by one of Japan''s eminent sociologists, it provides a quantitative characterization of population decline in Japan with a focus on regional variation, and identifies the principal explanatory factors through GPI statistical software tools such as G-census and EvaCva, within a historical perspective. Furthermore, it offers a qualitative assessment of what constitutes ‘municipal power’ as this relates to regional/local revitalization as a means of addressing municipal population decline. Using Goki-Shichido as a theoretical framework, this book pays special attention to municipal variations within the same prefecture, presenting a completely unique approach. In combining these two dimensions of analyses, the book successfully reveals the impact of municipal power and socio-cultural identity of social capital in the region, from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives at the municipal level. Demography issues in Japan have been receiving increasing attention among researchers given the growing number of declining populations in developed countries, in tandem with rapid aging and low fertility trends. Providing an original and unique contribution to regional population analysis in the fields of regional demography, historical demography and regional population policy, this book shows that the revitalization of the community is vital if Japan is to increase its population, so as to renew a community ‘raison d''être’. The book is of interest to scholars of Asian studies more broadly, and to sociologists, demographers, and policymakers interested in population studies, specifically.

"Providing an informative and vivid overview of the demographic situation of Japan, the author offers excellent suggestions for effective regional policy in confronting a shrinking society. This book presents a unique analysis of the regional variations on small municipal levels, with demographic variables, social indicators and historical identities.　An original contribution to regional population analysis in the fields of regional population policy, regional demography and historical demography."

-  Toshihiko Hara, Professor Emeritus, Sapporo City University  

This volume studies two present-day prefectures along the ancient Tokaido for detailed analyses of the impacts of regional variations of population decline in Japan. They are Shizuoka Prefecture, made upof the former Tootoumi, Suruga, and Izu provinces, and Mie Prefecture, formed by the ancient provinces of Iga, Ise, Shima, and the eastern part of Kii as examples to show the impacts of municipal power on regional variations of shrinking Japan. The reasons for selecting these two prefectures of the ancient Tokaido are twofold. First, they are made up of a multiple number of the ancient provinces. Second, other prefectures that fall under the Tokaido have been studied in the previous works of the present author by adopting the same methods of analyses. Thus, by presenting unique analyses of regional variations on small municipal levels, with demographic variables, social indicators, and historical identities of municipalities in Shizuoka and Mie prefectures along the Tokaido, this book offers suggestions for effective regional policy to revitalize shrinking Japan to a sustainable one.

This book provides insightful sociological analyses of Japanese demography and families, paying attention not only to national average data, but also to regional variations and community level analyses. In analyzing Japanese family issues such as demographic changes, courtship and marriage, international marriage, divorce, late-life divorce, and the elderly living alone, this book emphasizes the significance of two theoretical frameworks: the dual structure and regional variations of the community network in Japan.

By emphasizing the extensive cultural diversity from one region to another, this book represents a paradigm shift from former studies of Japanese families, which relied mostly on national average data. The method of analysis adopted in the study is qualitative, with a historical perspective. The book is thus an invitation to more in-depth, qualitative dialogue in the field of family sociology in Japan.

This book will be of great interest not only to Asian scholars, but also to other specialists in comparative family studies around the world.