What is the new neighbor connectivity of suburbanites with villages around?

The possibility of working in a village and living in a suburb

Abstract

The conurbations that have expanded over the past several decades need to optimize the size of their cities and reconsider interregional cooperation as the social background changes, such as increased sustainability and declining population. In this context, new-towns and rural areas on the periphery of urban conurbations, which have tended to be discussed only concerning the relationship with central urban areas, are experiencing aging and declining populations and an increase in vacant lots and vacant houses. In this study, we attempt to construct a new way of collaboration and living areas that are not bound by conventional urban logic by integrating suburban planned residential areas and farming and mountain villages as peripheral areas. As a first step, this paper will discuss the possibilities of the relationship from the perspective of residence and livelihood. Spatial statistical analysis based on the National census and human-flow data for the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe conurbation in Japan revealed a trend toward an increase in the agricultural workforce engaged in neighboring rural areas in new-towns on the periphery. In the future, it will be necessary to implement measures to improve new neighborhoods with an integrated focus on residence and livelihood.