Exploring Online Group Use among Local Residents in Mountainous and Hilly Areas in Japan

Abstract

In mountainous and hilly areas in Japan, the social ties among local residents are weakening due to aging and population decline. At the same time, advances in information technology enable not only synchronous offline communication but also asynchronous online communication and the formation of online groups. This study investigated the utilization of online groups in the local community where ICT (Information and Communication Technology) had not been introduced through external support. As a result, some local residents who were members of local organizations mainly used online groups. Additionally, the author also clarified that membership in online groups did not directly contribute to an increase in the frequency of online communication among local residents.