Abstract
This paper describes the ten-year history of the activation movement by a small group of residents in the Town of Chizu, Tottori Prefecture, a typical rural declining area in Japan. The basic facts of the ten year history of the Town of Chizu was documented and analyzed from a viewpoint of group dynamics (community dynamics). We show that the group of residents have successfully activated the area slowly but steadily, while overcoming strong resistance to change from the majority of residents. We also analyzed the involvement of influential persons into the community who have contributed to gradually overcome the resistance.
