Social problems and community management in Japan
Shiho NISHIYAMA; Japan ([email protected])
Rikkyo University Tokyo Japan
ANIS2012/06/13 Social Innovation Tour
1. background
Inexorable progress of globalization
post-industrialization, neo-liberalism
→ community faced new problems:
The gap between rich and poor
urban poverty, decline of inner city areas
Decreasing of birth rate→depopulation age
weak bonds with the others
(“Muen-society”無縁社会)
2005 started 2008 is depopulation year
2. depopulation society in Japan
・many schools are closing down
・apartment complex in the suburbs are becoming decline.
・increasing vacant rooms with serious social problems „death for loneliness‟ (what we called „kodoku-shi‟ ) =32000 in Japan
・we need to change the social structure/ urban structure to apply for depopulation age
3-1. Nishisugamo-souzousya
・Junior high school closed down in 2001, 2NPOs have converted from these building and gymnastics to art factory
・NPO rent these building from local government with borrowed money from quasi-bank.
Centre of Yokohama
200m*200m
3-2. Kotobuki Area : Yokohama Hostel Villedge
After WW2 a day-laborer town Now a welfare town
Population: 6500 people High density
Senior citizens: 50%
Welfare benefit recipients: 80%
Single men: 95%
Inside 200m*200m,
5㎡
room illegal garbage
Rooms: 8600rooms (just 5 square m)
Empty room: about 2000rooms
make bench with students and inhabitant promotion movie
Election campaign
Now we collaborating with 2 buildings and 4 non-collaborating hostels have begun
operations as tourist hostels.
Make new space
This project aims to change the area's image and create a flow of tourists, artists, young
people, etc. We collaborated with the building owners to create a new business cycle.
To efficiently re-use empty rooms
To create a flow of tourists, artists, young people, etc
To create a new business cycle
To create new jobs
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To empowerment the local people
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4. Asset Management (AM)
・urban infrastructures are not suit for depopulation society, deficit of local government
・Asset Management=With using old building and vacant land, create a new value and new networking in a innovative way
・In the process of asset management, Civil movement create “Bridging Social Capital”
・ many actors participate asset management (NPO, local government, business, residents, politician, professionals etc..)
Bridging Social Capital by AM
Civil Movement create
“Bridging social capital”
(Asset Management) Create Local network
residents
specialist
handicapped people
Local politician
Policy Making network
Local politician
specialist
Government Officials
businesses
advocacy empowerment
land building
housing Working place
Out-soursing
Social capital
5. What are success factors of Social Innovation in Japan? Background of Depopulation Age
Transformation of values →“from mass production to shrinking”
re-valued existing infrastructure
The creative and innovative way of asset management
The role of civil movement and build bridging Social Capital is very important
The concept of “Community Ownership”