The Reform of Regional Socioeconomic Systems : A Concept for the Redevelopment of Nishi-Ashibetu, A Former Coal Mining Town

Abstract

Recently we can easily recognize that reforms of socieconomic systems are going on all over the world, for various reasons such as the collapse of socialist systems, the changes of socioeconomic circumstances and so on. The fundamental reason seems to be that people in every region have been seeking a way to restore their cultural and historical identities. Over the past three decades, the energy revolution has been forcing tha coal mining districts in Hokkaido to revitalize their own local economies, and the regional socioeconomic systems have been expected to be reorganized toward the symbiosis of the natural and social environment. So the regional socioeconomic reforms should be carried out with indigenous or original ideas that arise from the regional institutions, rather than the central government.Accordingly a regional think tank institution ought to be set up as a regional research and planning center. Seeking socioeconomic systems with symbiotic environments, we made a conceptual plan for the redevelopment of Nishi-Ashibetu, a former coal mining town.The redevelopment plan toward a symbiotic environment consists of a meeting zone for friendship among residents, a workship zone for business interchange, a sports zone with playing grounds and arena, and streets with a green belt connecting the three zones. The idea was presented by computer graphics that were enthusiasically received by the persons concerned. In paralled with the regional socioeconomic system reforms , some reforms of administrative organizations are also needed to enable different departments to coordinate in problems solving.