Ideas and Actual Conditions of Promotion Services for Home Living Improvement: A Case Study on Yamaguchi Prefecture

Abstract

An important issue in post-war Japan was the democratization of rural areas. As a measure for achieving democratization in rural areas, the promotion services for home living improvement was implemented in municipalities under the guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Herein, we first investigated the basic policies adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in the Promotion services for home living improvement. Based on this analysis, we then examined the responses of municipalities to the policies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry by focusing on Yamaguchi Prefecture as a case example.
The following findings were obtained:
1. The goals of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s promotion services for home living improvement were improvement of rural life and promotion of "Kangaeru Nomin" (independent farmers). The latter goal involved developing home living improvement groups as volunteer groups. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry developed a policy of not using existing organizations such as women’s associations in the promotion services for home living improvement.
2. Although Yamaguchi Prefecture officially adopted the basic policies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, it did not necessarily follow the policies faithfully. Home living improvement groups were in effect developed through women’s associations. In consideration of the circumstances concerning rural areas, Yamaguchi Prefecture had deemed the formation of volunteer groups difficult.