Abstract
In Japan, a decline in the total fertility rate has contributed to a declining birthrate, resulting in a declining population. In particular, the populations of small regional cities are generally declining, and some municipalities have been classified as annihilation-possibility cities because they are unlikely to see both natural and social population growth. Municipalities across the country are facing serious challenges to cope with declining birthrates, and also curbing the decline in tax revenues and living infrastructure caused by a shrinking population. Kesennuma City in Miyagi Prefecture, located on the northeastern edge of the Miyagi Prefecture coast, is no exception, as its population has been declining constantly since 1980. The Kesennuma area is currently working to promote migration and settlement from the Tokyo metropolitan area. However, even if the advantages of living in Kesennuma are publicized externally as part of the immigration and settlement policies, it is difficult to determine that the declining birthrate will be resolved in a sustainable and long-term manner if people do not substantially feel the value of living in the community and raising their children in that community after moving. Rather, what is important in the future is to understand environmental factors that may lead to the positive value of raising children in the Kesennuma region, and to formulate policies to enhance that value. In this paper, we attempted to understand what environmental factors define a good environment for raising children in Kesennuma City, based on group interviews at town meetings where residents with experience in parenting exchanged their opinions. As a result, three factors that define a good parenting environment in Kesennuma City were identified.
