2012 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 47-65
This study aims to understand the current conditions and challenges facing isolated islands in the area of human resources as a foundation of existence in their fishery industry. Yamaguchi Prefecture ranks sixth in Japan in the number of inhabited remote islands, and we targeted our study to those islands with relatively high numbers of young people in order to reveal their requirements for entry into and settling on the islands. We especially, focused on current trends among young people in career choice intentions, and drew conclusions regarding their conditions for choosing to work on the islands.
The results revealed that the employment structure in remote islands with many young people is mainly made up of returnees to the islands. This structure reflects influences that easily cause concern for society as a whole, such as an unstable job market due to the sluggish Japanese economy, new employment measures in Yamaguchi Prefecture which focus on previous residents of the islands, obtaining a capable workforce, and the development of human relations. Returnees have high demands in choosing a career, requiring a certain amount of money to support their life comfortably, as well as opportunities for personal development. Traditionally, it has been difficult to develop a new industry other than fishing in remote islands, and limitations in local resources have made life on the islands less than convenient; however, aquatic resources, management resources, and life resources are now beginning to result in job openings as population declines, generating opportunities for young people to satisfy their needs. For these reasons, attempts have been made to implement independent operations to increase the income and personal development of the younger generation, by properly distributing unused resources. The study reveals examples of the actual conditions and how local resources are distributed to encourage entry and settlement by young people.
