Classification of collective actions for rural community vitalization in Chugoku Mountainous region, Japan: applying multiple correspondence analysis

This study quantitatively examines the classification of collectivities in rural communities and the factors affecting the collectivities in hilly and mountainous areas. Using the collective action data of rural communities in the Chugoku region (Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi Prefectures) obtained from the Census of Agriculture and Forestry in view of social, economic, and environmental aspects. We quantitatively examined the typological characteristics and the factors of collectivities in rural communities based on the multiple correspondence analysis (quantification method, type III). We made three main findings. First, we extracted the dimensions of weak-strong independence of community (there are relatively strong and weak communities linked with other communities in terms of collectivity), high-low collective behavior of community (there are strong and weak collectivity on social, economic, and environmental collective activities), and economic-social nature of collective behavior of community. Second, the forms of collectivities in rural communities were classified into three or four forms from the cluster analysis using the sample scores obtained from the multiple correspondence analysis. Locational factors such as closeness to DID, road station and expressway partially influence the differences among the forms. Third, as well as locational factors, the elements of human capital, bonding social capital, bridging social capital have an influence on the levels of collectivities. These findings indicate that it is critical to take measures to consider the rural vitalization conditions across the rural communities for the sustainability of rural resources.