Roots and Value of Neighborhood Association

-Discussion with background of Japanese irrigation history –

Abstract

　　　Neighborhood associations (NAs) in Japan are working as multirole local groups with high membership ratio. Some local government policies are put into practice by the NAs. However, their membership ratio is decreasing, especially in urban areas, and it's becoming more difficult to achieve the policies and the management of local government utilizing NAs. Although the origin and the value of NAs have been discussed for 70 years, it is not sufficient to account for them, therefore, it is difficult to present a guideline for how NAs should be operated in the future. The present study focused on Japanese irrigation history and explained the origin and the value of NAs based on the historical background. It also examined in the adequacy of the previous theories regarding the origin and the values value of NAs from the point of view of the history. Lastly, the way of management of NAs in the future was discussed.