Paper short abstract:

This contribution explores the question of how livelihoods of small family businesses in Japanese coastal fisheries are challenged - and defended - in the context of dwindling resource stocks, new global commodity chains in seafood produce and the intensified territorialisation of maritime space.

Paper long abstract:

Based on 2010 fieldwork in coastal fishing communities on Kyūshū, which are revisited seven years later, this contribution explores the question of how livelihoods of small family businesses in rural fisheries are challenged - and defended - in the context of dwindling resource stocks, new global commodity chains in fishery produce and the intensified territorialisation of maritime space.

Not different from many farming communities in Japan, most fishing communities face problems of de-population, a general marginalization of rural areas and the demise of its main source of income. With plummeting total numbers and more than 50% of employees in Japanese fisheries above the age of 60, largely family-operated fishing enterprises are facing a severe lack of successors. This lack is especially problematic as it makes investments in fishing tools, nets, motors and boats very difficult and leaves little room for plans for the future. Shrinking maritime resources, the rising cost of fuel and stagnating fish prices contribute to the declining profitability of this economic sector, which used to offer vast earning opportunities to young Japanese men a few decades before. Structural transformations on world and national markets are increasingly challenging their livelihoods and changing the power structures of the seafood business in Japan: the emergence of giant global players in buyer-driven global commodity chains of fishery produce, the proliferation of Japanese supermarket chains, and shifting consumer preferences towards processed seafood products, take-out and eating out.

At this intersection of social, economic and spatial precarity, fishers as well as policy makers develop different coping and survival strategies such as the establishment of alternative marketing channels, the creation of new value-added products and higher standards of quality and traceability, the invention and marketing of local traditions, political activism, a diversification of income or even a resort to illegal activities. Revisiting interview partners after seven years, this paper seeks to shed light on various livelihood strategies of actors in Japanese coastal fisheries and the degree of their viability.

Paper short abstract:

Deviance from mainstream society is difficult to imagine in Japan's close-knit rural communities. Combining Goffman's theory of backstage-frontstage with ethnographic data from fieldwork in southwestern Japan, we demonstrate how individuals deal with the intricacies of communal life.

Paper long abstract:

From the outside, forms of deviance or "being different" from the mainstream local rural community are hardly visible in Japan. Yet ethnographic research in one small village in the prefecture of Kumamoto has shown several examples of outsiders, e.g. through a history of domestic violence, marrying a divorcee of the village, or though engaging in gender-untypical hobbies. By using Goffman's theory of backstage-frontstage, we gain better insights into everyday lives in rural Japan, and how the intricacies of a close-knit village community can be dealt with by individuals.

Paper short abstract:

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in international tourists visiting Japan. The economic, social and environmental impact they have differs throughout the country. This paper examines socio-spatial inequalities caused by the unequal distribution and sudden changes in international tourism.

Paper long abstract:

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in international tourists visiting Japan. However, the economic, social and environmental impact they have differs widely throughout the country. Depending on the country of origin, travel motivation and trip characteristics vary and lead to specialized clusters and routes. On the other hand, easy access to information on transport and location through smartphones and the spread of informal accommodation have brought international tourists to places so far not perceived as tourist destinations even by domestic tourists. As result, complicated patterns of concentration and dispersion are constantly evolving. This paper examines socio-spatial inequalities and impacts caused by the unequal distribution and sudden changes in international tourism.

For this aim, we will first analyze the distribution of foreign tourists throughout Japan from official tourism statistics. Then, the paper draws on a series of case studies conducted to examine mature destinations as well as new emerging tourist spots. Questionnaires with tourists, interviews with local tourism stakeholders and analysis of administration publications and newspapers were the main research methods. It was found that, while the increasing number of international tourists contributes to diversification of mature destinations like Miyajima Island and Takayama City, it can also lead to problems of overcrowding. On the other hand, if peripheral areas like Okinoshima Island experience a sudden tourist boom, they face a lack in infrastructure and multilingual service personal. Also, positive economic effects are very limited. However, since foreign tourists often rely on public transportation, they contribute to maintaining ferries, trains and buses in remote areas. The analysis of case studies shows that international tourism both diminishes and increases socio-spatial inequalities and needs to be managed carefully to be sustainable.