Paper short abstract:

The paper examines rural "cities" attempting to brand and revitalise themselves as eco-town in face of economic stagnation and demographic shifts. They do so by co-opting the central government's national goals to become the world's eco-leader, often on the backs of rural efforts and resources.

Paper long abstract:

In 2004, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) began to designate "Biomass towns." The project resulted from the Kyoto protocol, and aimed to identify municipalities committed to carbon emission reduction by increasing use of local biomass energy sources. Additional anticipated benefits included development of advanced biomass-conversion technology and stimulation of the rural areas that would be at the project's core. By 2010, only one-third of the designated towns were on track to the initial energy goals. In the following year, with the number of Biomass towns barely reaching three hundred, MAFF replaced the plan with a centralized alternative. The central government's national goal to become the world's political and economic eco-leader on the backs of rural efforts, in this case, was mildly successful at best.

For some of the rural participants, the Biomass town project brought opportunities. Maniwa in Okayama, for example, was established in 2005 during the Great Heisei Mergers (1999-2006). With nine villages and towns combined into a city of just over 51,000 residents, Maniwa jumped at an opportunity to establish a new identity and became registered as a Biomass town in 2006. 80% forested Maniwa had a preexisting pellet and other wood-derivative product industry, and the designation became a further incentive to brand the city as an eco-town. Its prized jersey cows' wastes and wasted vegetable oil are now recycled into usable energy. Entrepreneurs make profit on woody biomass products, and since 2006 conduct "Biomass tours" that showcase processing technology as well as the new city hall running on biomass energy. The city also promotes more traditional eco-tourism centered on its landscape and the resident Natural Monuments. For cities like Maniwa, survival remains the key as the economic stagnation and demographic shift continue. Since its creation, Maniwa's population has declined by 3,000 every five years and continues to age. The city's goal is often less about global sustainability or national prestige and more about creating local jobs, attracting tourists, and self-sufficiency. This paper explores how postindustrial rural "cities" like Maniwa have persevered under the limitations and opportunities presented by Tokyo.