Abstract
While the dwindling and aging population in the mountain villages of West Shikoku has caused a reduction of self-governing capabilities and resource management abandonment, and it is feared these settlements will disappear, the increasing resettlement of urban inhabitants, the growing interest in farming and forestry, and the promotion of relocation as one way to revitalize settlements are particularly noteworthy. Owning land and friendship with residents, that is, whether mountain villagers are inclined to offer land and accept newcomers are major factors in the consolidation of resettlement. In the present study we selected four settlement types—Vitality Sustainment, Dwindling Trend, Old-guard and Administrative dependence Expectation—from a questionnaire survey of West Shikoku and from an analysis of rural community statistics investigated the main cause of variations between settlements to gain an understanding of the characteristics of the acceptance of newcomers. The results show that the intent to accept newcomers is low in the four settlement types or are places where it is difficult to contemplate newcomers purchasing or leasing land. This shows the intent to accept newcomers varies with the intent to sustain a settlement, the status of resource management and outlook for the future, and it is considered that these have an impact on the survival of settlements.
