The purpose of this study is to clarify the livelihood strategies and the vulnerability to drought of farming households in rural West Java. A field-survey was done in Sukajadi village to examine responses to drought in 2003 by farming households which build various livelihood compositions and belong to different socio-economic strata. The results of the survey substantiate livelihood composition of farming households and the role of agriculture in influencing crop selection as a risk-reducing and coping strategy against the decrease of income caused by poor production. Farming households owning larger paddy fields which build more favorable livelihoods and belong to high socio-economic stratum, can adopt positive risk-reducing and coping strategies. Households cultivating paddy fields generally select crops on their fields considering how to reduce risk of drought. They also consider the water supply condition of their fields and importance of agricultural activity in their livelihoods and aim to make more profitable income composition as a whole. Against the decrease of a capital for next season, they utilize the access channel to complement income which is appropriate for the composition and the strategy of their livelihoods.

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This paper aims to clarify the spatial organization of supporter's association and an election strategy of Diet Members in Japan. A member of the Toyama Prefecture Third Constituency of the House of Representatives is chosen as a case study.
The findings can be summarized as follows: Supporter organizations of the selected Diet member consists of 20 political organizations that is organized by occupation, 7 local companies recognized as occupational branches of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and 44 supporter's associations organized by the selected Diet member. Though all of these organizations support the studied member in the related constituency and its neighborhood, the electoral focus of the organizations is on Takaoka City, rather than other related voting areas. Moreover, offices and secretaries of the studied member are located in Takaoka City.
Particularly, the arrangement and spatial formation of supporter's associations differs by geographic area within Toyama Third Constituency. The selected Diet member organized 26 out of the total 44 supporter's associations in Takaoka City and formed each spatial organization of supporter's associations by elementary school districts regardless of its area and population. This is because the share of the votes for the studied member is comparatively low in Takaoka City due to more floating voters from the rival LDP members in this city. Thus, with the formation of spatial organization of supporter's associations by elementary school districts, the selected Diet member provides assistance and maintains good relationship with its supporter's associations. In exchange, the Diet member receives strong support from its supporter's associations.
Meanwhile, the remaining 18 supporter's associations are located outside of Takaoka City. Each supporter's association is spatially organized in each local municipality regardless of its area and population. In rural areas, the agricultural co-operatives and the members of local assemblies play important roles in the canvassing of votes for the selected Diet member. The local municipalities are spatial units managed by the agricultural co-operatives and elected members of local assemblies. Moreover, public enterprises are carried out by the local municipalities which have effects on the electorate.
The research concludes that the elementary school district and local municipality are the most important spatial organization of supporter's associations that effectively garner votes for the selected Diet member.

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