Policy / Systems / Technology

May 31, 2006

 

Urban-Rural Exchange Project to Revitalize Quake-Hit Ojiya

Keywords: Local government Policy / Systems 

Ojiya City, a small agricultural town in Niigata Prefecture that was extensively damaged by the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake in 2004, is working on a unique community-development scheme that promotes exchanges between rural and urban dwellers in Japan.

In particular, Ojiya plans to provide allotments for urban residents scheduled to start operation in 2007. Two types of allotments will be offered. One will be called "Kleingarten" meaning "small garden" in German, as large as 300 square meters per plot, with accommodations for long stays, and the other will be 50 square meters per plot for day visitors. Each Kleingarten will have a cottage, called a "Laube," with about 40 square meters in total floor area. The rent will be 400,000 yen (U.S.$ 3,420) a year per plot. Ojiya is planning to build 30 Laubes in total.

Ojiya was authorized by the national government as a special zone for farming on March 24, 2004, before the earthquake. As part of these arrangements, companies and non-profit organizations can participate in farming management in Ojiya by using abandoned fields.

This initiative was in response to two trends in society. On one hand, there has been rising concern about the aging of the population and the lack of new farmers in rural areas. On the other hand, a growing number of urban dwellers want to experience the farming life. Ojiya expects to revitalize both urban and rural areas by accepting urban dwellers into the farming community and promoting urban-rural exchanges.



Posted: 2006/05/31 02:25:23 PM
Japanese version

 

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