Paper short abstract:

Recently, Japanese old suburban housing estates are declining. They are facing several serious problems. Most serious problems are aging of residents and decreasing population. In this study, we try to clarify the conditions of shrinking suburbs and revitalization in Japanese cities.

Paper long abstract:

Japan's aging rate has exceeded 20%, ahead of any other country in the world. Ageing is progressing rapidly in both rural and urban areas. Recently, super-ageing in old suburbs is remarkable. Suburb is not the dream place for every families and the depopulation has been occurred in several metropolitan regions. The trend of urbanization has been changing, because population are decreasing in old suburban areas, on the other hand, population in inner-city turns to increase. Recently, Japanese old suburban housing estates, which were developed before 1970s, are declining. They are facing several serious problems. Most serious problems are aging of residents and decreasing population, these are caused by long-term dwelling. Because many Japanese think that "Japan dream" is occupancy of detached house in suburb. Japanese suburban resident tend to stay after child rearing. And another severe problem is the increasing vacancy houses. In this study, we try to clarify the conditions of shrinking suburbs in Japanese cities and will introduce some activities for revitalization in suburbs.

As for aging of suburban residents, in old housing estates the first generation of migrants grew older and to continue to live in their own house in suburban areas. Furthermore, their children grew up and moved out. Therefore, aging communities without young generations will be popular in suburbs. These are caused by the failure of town planning, which supplied the same type of houses in short term. Furthermore, increases in vacant houses are seen throughout every old suburban housing estates, it induces new uneasiness and social troubles and drop in housing price. As a countermeasure against the above, some suburban communities try to vitalize and promote community activities. In Suzugamine new town, Hiroshima, elderly and housewives established the NPO which support for "community café" and the place of meeting and the exchange time.