The Take-home Message
To foster sustainable regional development
Unfortunately, efforts to attract industry, construction ofamusement facilities, and introduction of external capital, inProject Members
Project Leader ISHIKAWA Satoshi Associate Professor, RIHN
He conducts research to investigate the actual state and challengesof resource use as seen by local residents from the standpoint ofnatural science and social science.

many cases, only end up stimulating local economies on aMembers at RIHN

temporary basis.

WATANABE Kazuo
MUTO Nozomu
KAKIOKA Ryo
HONMA Saki
KIMURA Ayako

To achieve sustainable regional development, it is necessary
to create schemes based on local resources that enhancecommunity vitality on a continual basis.
Such schemes are what we refer to as “Area-capability.”

To be successful at both environmental conservation
and regional development
We believe that environmental conservation, regional
development and vitalization should be carried out in an
integrated manner. This is because, in regions needing
development and revitalization, top priority is given, more often
than not, to protecting livelihoods, and, as such, activities toprotect the environment are rarely considered. If it is possible tocarry out development and conservation in an integrated mannerand to create independent local societies whose value is notmeasureable in monetary terms alone, such activity could also
serve as a key for solving global environmental problems.

ishio City, Aichi
In NPrefecture,
local residents
run the Higashihazu Fishery
Cooperative and carry out
educational activities.
Rayong Province, Thailand,

In local fishers have adopted

set-net fishing technology, atraditional fishing method used inHimi City, Toyama Prefecture,
which has led to the use of new
resources and the initiation of a
new resource managementscheme.
Adoption ofset-nets
installed by
the entire
village.

Our Activities
Island, Okinawa
On Ishigaki
Prefecture, efforts are being
pursued that combine conservation
with community revitalization andinvolve various industries including
sightseeing, fishing, and animalhusbandry.
Environmental
education ofhigh school
students.

Batan Bay on Panay Island in

In the Philippines, efforts are

currently underway to introduce
tiger prawn aquaculture methods
developed in Lake Hamana,
Shizuoka Prefecture.

Senior Project Researcher
Project Research Associate
Project Research Associate
Project Research Associate
Administrative AssistantMain outside collaborators
KONO Yasuyuki
KUROKURA Hisashi
ARIMOTO Takafumi
MIYAMOTO Yoshinori
YAMADA Yoshihiko
YOSHIKAWA Takashi
MUTO Fumihito
KAWADA Makito
MATSUOKA Tatsuro
EBATA Keigo
MIYATA Tsutomu
TUNKIJJANUKIJ, Suriyan
KAEWNERN, Methee
MANAJIT, Nopporn
ALTAMIRANO, Jon P.
BABARAN, Ricardo
FERRER, Alice J. G.
PRIMAVERA, Yasmin

Kyoto University
The University of Tokyo
Tokyo University of Marine Scienceand Technology
Tokyo University of Marine Scienceand Technology
Tokai University
Tokai University
Tokai University
Seijo University
Kagoshima University
Kagoshima University
National Research Institute ofFisheries Science
Kasetsart University, Thailand
Kasetsart University, Thailand
Southeast Asian Fisheries
Development Center
Southeast Asian Fisheries
Development Center
University of the Philippines
Visayas, Philippines
University of the Philippines
Visayas, Philippines
Aklan State University, Philippines

Our research is carried out in collaboration withvarious research partners.

Coastal Area-capability Enhancement in Southeast Asia
Contact

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature
457-4 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku,
Kyoto,603-8047, Japantel +81-75-707-2331 fax +81-75-707-2507
http://www.chikyu.ac.jp/CAPABILITY/

Coastal Area-capability
Enhancement inSoutheast Asia
ProjectVer. 1

Point 1

What’s Area-capability?

Our Point of View
Thinking globally, acting locally
In recent years, we have seen the accumulation of global
environmental problems that need very urgent solution. To
address these environmental issues, we believe that individuals,organizations/groups, and companies must make choices andIdentifying and using local resources

A local resource is a natural or cultural resource unique to a given region that

Area-capability

can exist in harmony with the region s natural environment and culture. Hot
springs and sightseeing resources are easy-to-understand examples of local

Ways of using local resources forsustainable regional development

resources, but do not exist everywhere. Every region has local resources. In
some cases, however, it may necessary change one s way of thinking or point ofview to identify them. What is important is that the resource is used in the local

behave in a manner that takes the environment into

The eight conditions for regionalcommunity. If local resource use lead to the formation of a new community ofconsideration—in others words, what is needed is a change indevelopment (vitalization) organized inresource users rather than the accumulation of beneﬁt to certain individuals orawareness and behavior based on the spirit of “thinking global,acting local.”If problem solving is carried out at the community level aroundthe world, global problems will take care of themselves.

groups, it will contribute to the realization of sustainable, vital community.

terms of Area-capability, which we1

introduce together with a discussion of
the important points.

2

Identiﬁcation (rediscovery)
and use of a local resource

Proposal of Area-capability
Area-capability

In local societies, members of a community should, ideally, workconservation. We use the term “Area-capability (= potential forDevelopment of an atmospherethat vitalizes the community
Evaluation by outside entities

Id

7l resour

The region comprising theenvironment, nature, and local societythat forms around a local resource

3s

myriad of problems related to the economy and environmental

8u s i ng l oca＝future. If that is not the case, societies will be plagued with aenandce

proactively and continuously to ensure a vital community in theThe 8 Conditions (Elements)

tifgyinFormation of a resource
user community

Feeling among community
members that the local
resource use improves
quality of life

Area

Improvement in stateof the resource

regional development)” to refer to the elements necessary for

Environment
grin
Ca

conﬁdence of local residents, which, whencombined with evaluation by outside entities,enables sustainable execution of activities.

Major study sites&Content of research
and activities

Japan

Lake Hamana
Mikawa Bay
Stock enhancement
Environmental education

Point 2Caring for local resources and thesupporting environment

To be able to use a local resource in perpetuity(sustainably), it is necessary to think about andVietnam

Surat-Thani
Oyster aquaculture

Development ofcare activities

Point 3es and supovirenginport5

Ishigaki Is.

supporting the resource, rather than managing

Cooperation among local residents,experts, and government

Ecosystem survey in coastal zone
Environmental education

the resource. We refer to such consideration,

For a community (local residents) to be able toobservation, and treatment of the environment as

conduct activities sustainably, it is important thatcare. To be able to carry out this care, eachexperts and governments work together withmember of the user community must foster ancommunities. Objective veriﬁcation and evaluationinterest in and understanding of the resource andby outside entities not only enables the creation of

Panay Is.

supporting environment and develop a sense ofsystems that are scientiﬁcally more reliable but can

Stock enhancement

stewardship that leads them work to improve thealso increase the conﬁdence and pride ofstate of the resource through care.

community members.

Philippines

4
Fostering of interest in
the resource andsupporting environment

Increased awarenessof the need for carewatch over the resource and the environment

Rayong Thailand
Thailand

6fort
heres
ourcJapan

Hue Culture preserve

Set-net ﬁshery

Local society

Successful fulﬁlment of elements 1 to 7 raises thenm
entcommunities to achieve a brighter vision of the future.

Local residents
Execution of activities

Cooperativework
Data collection
System design
Rule formulation
Activity planningExperts
Data analysis/evaluation

Government
Approval andauthorization
Information
dissemination