Migrant Entrepreneurs and Regional Revitalization: A Qualitative Case Study
Abstract
In Japan, the number of people involved in community activities is decreasing due to population outflow; thus, the survival of some communities is in jeopardy. Although various local governments, residents, and businesses are attempting to ensure communities’ survival, some limitations remain. However, the changes in lifestyles and values resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the psychological hurdles for people to migrate to rural areas. Under these circumstances, migrants who arrive in rural regions and start businesses have an economic impact on their destination, increasing the value of the region. To identify these agents, in this paper, I propose the concept of “migrant entrepreneurs,” which has diverse meanings depending on these individuals’ relationship with the local community and the form of their entrepreneurship. Taking the town of Higashikawa, in the prefecture of Hokkaido, as a study case, I clarify the characteristics of migrant entrepreneurs, who comprise a new entity responsible for regional revitalization.
References
Secretariat for Promotion of Regional Revitalization, “Comprehensive Strategy for Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy 2020” [Mati-Hito-Shigoto sousei sougou senryaku 2020 kaiteiban (in Japanese)]; https://www.chisou.go.jp/sousei/info/pdf/r02-12-21-senryaku2020.pdf
Forest Service Industry Promotion Joint Venture, “Survey on Lifestyle and Tourism around Forest Areas in the New Daily Life under COVID-19” [Atarashi nitijyou ni okeru shinrin kata you no Nishiki you (in Japanese)], Forestry Agency, Emergency Measures Project for “Forest Service Industry 2020,” 2020; https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000001.000063944. html
Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade, and Industry, “Results of Survey on Trends Related to Regional Relocation Summary Version” [Tihou iten ni kansuru doukou tyousa (in Japanese)], 2021; https://www.kanto.meti.go.jp/press/data/20210421chihoiten_chousa_gaiyouban.pdf
Teikoku Databank, “Special Report: Metropolitan Area, Head Office Relocation Trends Survey” [Tokubetu kikau: Syutokenn, Honsya iten doukou chosa (in Japanese)], 2021; https://www.tdb.co.jp/report/watching/press/pdf/p220911.pdf
Headquarters for Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy in Japan, “Nearly Half of Tokyo Residents Interested in Living in Regional Areas: Report on Survey Project to Develop and Implement Public Relations Strategies to Increase Migration, etc.” [Toukyouken zaijyuusya no yaku hansuu ga tihouken no kurashi ni kanshin ari (in Japanese)], 2020; https://www.chisou.go.jp/sousei/pdf/ijuu_chousa_houkokusho_0515.pdf
A. Uchikoshi, “Considering the Conditions for Regional Revitalization: Fieldwork in Seminars as a Material” [Chiiki kasseika no jyouken wo kangaeru: Zeminaru ni okeru fuirudowaku wo sozai ni (in Japanese)], Seijo Hogaku, vol. 85, 2017, pp. 299-326.
Cabinet Office, “Proceedings of the Eleventh Meeting of the “Choosing the Future”
Committee,” 2014; https://www5.cao.go.jp/keizai-shimon/kaigi/special/future/1017/
gijiyoushi.pdf
Y. Takatori and L. Sasaki, “Development of Rural Tourism by Relocating Rural Entrepreneurs: A Case Study of Synergistic Entrepreneurial Activities in Tokachi District, Hokkaido,” Proc. General Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers, 2014, pp. 100-131.
M. Sasaki, A. Shikida, Y. Kawaida, M. Hagiwara, “Urban and Rural Communities in Creative Society” [Souzou syakai no toshi to nouson (in Japanese)], Suiyosha, 2019, p. 320.
M. Nagayama, “Regional Platform to Promote Entrepreneurship: On the Practice of 'Business Start-up Fostering Project'” [Antorepurenashippu wo unagasu chiikipurattofuomu: “Chiho kiun josei jigyo” no jissen ni atatte (in Japanese)], Japan Finance Corporation, vol. 53, 2021, pp. 21-53.
A. Shikida, “A Study on the Possibility of Regional Development in Collaboration with Strangers” [Yosomono to kyodo suru chiikizukuri no kanosei ni kansuru kenkyu (in Japanese)], Enuma no Kuni, vol. 50, 2005, pp. 74-85.
A. Shikida, “The Role of Outsiders in the Community Development Process,” The Journal of International Media, Communication, and Tourism Studies, vol. 9, 2009, pp. 79-100.
G. Simmel, “Soziologie: Untersuchungen über die Formen der Vergesellschaftung,” Georg Simmel Gesamtausgabe, Bd.11, Suhrkamp, 1922, p. 1051.
T. Tokuda, “The Problematic of the Stranger Concept: On the “Specialist’s Eyes” and the “Immigrant's Eyes,” Sociology, vol. 49, 2005, pp. 3-18.
T. Tokuda, “Sociological Takumi of the Concept of a Stranger: Focusing on G. Simmel’s Conceptual Stipulation (Special Issue: Contemporary Sociology of Culture and Community),” Journal of Sociology, vol. 24, 2007, pp. 97-111.
A. Schutz, Collected Papers Ⅱ: Studies in Social Theory, Martinus Nijhoff, 1976, p. 300.
T. Tokuda, “Yosomono/The Sociology of Strangers” [Yosomono/sutorenja no shakaigaku (in Japanese)], Koyoshobo, 2020, 208p.
R. Cantillon, “Essai sur la Nature du Commerce en Général,” Traduit de l’Anglois. A Londres, chez Fletcher Gyles, dans Holborn, 1755, p. 430.
J. A. Schumpeter, Theorie der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, Duncker und Humblot, 1926, p. 369.
P. Drucker, Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Practice and Principle, Harper Collins, 1985, p. 277.
N. Matsuda and Y. Matsuo, “An Empirical Analysis of Entrepreneurial Success Factors” [Kigyoka no seikoyoin ni kansuru bunseki (in Japanese)], RIETI Discussion Paper, 13-J-064, 2013, pp. 1-32.
Osamu Nakajima, “Community Settlement of Migrant Entrepreneurs: Case Study of "Sakawa Invention Lab",” 『Business Management and Decision Science』Vol. 4, 2024, 12p.
N. Akasaka, Yosomono Theory: An Introduction [Ijinron josetsu (in Japanese)], Chikuma Shobo, 1992, p. 357.
S. Kito, “The YOSOMONO (Outsider) Concept in The Study of Environmental Movements: Through the Cases of Nature-Rights Movements in Isahaya and Amami,” Journal of Environmental Sociology, vol. 4, 1998, pp. 44-59.
C. Landry, The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators, Earthscan Publications Ltd., 2008, p. 299.
R. Florida, Who’s Your City?: How the Creative Economy is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life, Earthscan Publications Ltd, 2008, p. 374.
M. Sasaki, Y. Kawaida, and M. Hagiwara, “Creative Rural Communities: Strategies for Living Creatively in Depopulation” [Sozo noson: Kaso wo kurieiteibu ni ikiru senryaku (in Japanese)], Gakugei Shuppansha, 2014, p. 272.
A. Shikida, M. Morishige, S. Nakamura, “The Role of Intermediary for Community Platform and its Structural Analysis” The Journal of International Media, Communication, and Tourism Studies, vol. 14, 2012, pp. 23-42.
O. Nakajima, “Factors contributing to the establishment of migrant entrepreneurs in local communities: Furniture and maintenance goods manufacturing industry in Higashikawa Town,” [Ijū kigyōka no chiiki shakai e no teichaku yōin: Higashikawachō no kagu seibi-hin seizō-gyō], Japan Association for cultural economics, 2023, vol. 20, no.1, pp.23-32.
Note by Shinichiro Kuranuki in the 2020-4-5, Higashikawa Town History Editor. https://note.com/sinichiro_kuran/n/nba8f384e7743
Hokkaido Research Organization (2019) “Why Do Migrant Entrepreneurs Take Root in Higashikawa? Clarifying the Factors Affecting the Movement of Migrant Entrepreneurs in Small Municipalities in Hokkaido: Annual Report of the Building Research Institute.” 2019; https://www.hro.or.jp/upload/22946/H30_poster9.pdf
