Abstract
This paper aims to explain the mechanism of transferring farmland rights in Japan's large- scale upland farming belt by focusing upon social relationships among farmers. Data on farm management, farmers' history of farming, and records of transferring farmland rights were collected for this study through interviews with all farmers in the case study area. Mechanisms of farmers' social relationships were analyzed by applying the concept of “multiplex–uniplex” that is used in the social network approach.
The case study area was Omaki and Kouwa settlements in the town of Otofuke, Hokkaido prefecture. This area was newly cleared and opened for settlement in 1950. Major agricultural enterprises in this area are upland, dairy, and vegetable farming.
The main findings of this study are summarized as follows:
1) Various social relationships among farmers were observed behind the transfer of farmland rights. These relationships included territorial relations, kinship, attending the same elementary school, and serving together as PTA officers. Some agencies such as the Hokkaido Agricultural Development Corporation were also involved in these relationships.
2) Types of social relationships varied in the way the transfer of farmland rights overlapped. Almost all transfers of farmland rights were influenced by multiplex relationships, such as a combination of territorial relations, kinship, and school connections. On the other hand, uniplex relationships existed in transfer of farmland rights when farmers did not have these social relationships.
3) Social relationships in transferring farmland rights expanded spatially from the scale of the neighborhood or settlement into the scale of Nakaotofuke district, other districts, and outside Otofuke. Many farmers accumulated most of the farmland within their settlements, but depending on farm management conditions some late accumulated farmland were located outside their settlements. Thus, farmers' management scale increased, and a large-scale upland farming belt was formed.
