“Jimoto” (Local Community) and Its Culture:

Considering Neighborhood Effects in Japan

Abstract

    In America and European countries the interest in neighborhood effects has accelerated after the publication of W.J.Wilson's The Truly Disadvantaged. The purpose of this paper is to consider neighborhood effects in Japanese society. Based on researches in public housing areas and a wooden apartment area, I find local community culture which has a negative effect on residentsʼ life chances. At the same time, however, the culture has an important function to support the process of transition from childhood to adulthood in the strained circumstances.
    By calling for more comparative studies of diversified neighborhoods and poverty, effective support measure can be found.