Establishment of Regional Culture
For Preventing Depopulating Laborers------case of Yaeyama Islands in Japan
Feng Liu, Makoto Hirano, Peiqian Liu
Entrepreneur Engineering Graduate School,
Kochi University of Technology
ABSTRACT-----In common perception, economic development is supposed to proceed with thetransformation of the main sector of the economy from agriculture to industry, then to services. The principalrole of rural areas is, therefore, to provide cities with food, while excess labor gradually migrates from rural
to urban areas. But during the last decades, in many countries, there is a tendency that superabundantlaborers in rural areas immigrate to cities. Depopulation and senility of the rural areas are causing gradualserious social problem, because the lack of labor power and inefficiency, thus insufficient social
infrastructure degrade productivity and living standard in those areas. How to develop the rural areas to stop
the moving step of laborers is a meaningful research issue for many countries.
In this paper, some cases in Yaeyama islands in Japan are studied by focusing some unique activities on
establishing their regional culture which attracts outside people to move back to the rural regions. Even
though Yaeyama Islands have its geographical disadvantages, they developed their own life style and culture
based on the respect for native nature, under the endeavor of not only the original residents but also lots ofimmigrations with shared mission, which is called “Star sky manifesto”. This resulted attracting outside
people including younger generation and preventing depopulation in local areas. Their successful experience
could be a clue for many other rural laggard regions.
KEYWORDS: regional culture, community

1. INTRODUCTION

move away; young and educated people will relocate,
often never to return but to visit relatives and friends.

During decades of globalization and modernization,

A decreasing population reduces the political clout

population, employment and economic capacity keepof the islands which the availability of national

concentrating in and around large urban centers. As

investment to public infrastructure (as in roads,

Ohmae (2001) described, the world, economically

health care, education) also declines. This dynamic

and in management terms, has become a network of

appears

prosperous city-regions. This trend spells the demise

therefore islands meant to suffer, sooner or later, aof periphery locations, especially the islands with thehemorrhage

inherent geographic disadvantage. They will findresources?

themselves exporting people, brains, investment andother forms of capital to attractive metropolitan

irreversibleof(Baldacchino,

human

and

2006).

otherAre

economic

Hence how to remain the human resource is oneof the emergent issues for the islands community.

zones or their immediate suburbs. Employment

In this paper, we examined in deeply theopportunities will fall; actual entrepreneurs willdevelopment of Yaeyama Islands in Japan. In
1/11

addition to small size, Yaeyama Islands also exhibit

principal economic challenges facing small states in

a combination of four other characteristics that may

their research. For the islands, which are remoteaffect

from

their

economic

performance:

insularity,

the main market, the main traditional

remoteness, being archipelagos and being highly

challenges for them are the domestic small scale

mountainous entities.

market, the limited and undiversified resource,

Even with the congenital handicap, Yaeyama

monoculture plants, over-dependence on one or two

Islands retain their own human resource; moreover

export products with little control over price, and theattract

youngerneed to import virtually everything for domestic

generation. On the surface, their revitalization isconsumption and vulnerability to external economic,

theoutsidepeopleincludingoriginated from the development plan of government, political,

environmental

andclimatic

forcesthe instruction of the basic infrastructure, the(e.g.typhoon) and other factors (e.g. terrorisms) that

promotion of tourism industry and their charming

can have massive impacts on their economies

natural resources. This paper attempts to seek for the(Briguglio, 1995; Briguglio and Galea, 2003).

empirical

However, there are some small states (islands)

evidence for the development of the peripheral areas.

succeeded despite these challenges. Armstrong and

We assumed that the culture which is embedded in

Read put forward four reasons to explain thethe joint community may be one of the deep reasons.

successful states. They are also suitable for the

In Yaeyama islands, the regional culture is based on

islands cases. The first is that small areas have had

the respect for natural resource and native traditions.

no option but to embrace openness and export-led

This paper consists of 5 sections. In Section 2 wegrowth. This simultaneously reduces the impact ofreview several related papers concerning thethe economies of scale constraint, and forces firms todeterminants of the economic performance of small

be internationally competitive. Given their labour

islands; in section 3 the basic information and some

supply constraints, growth in small areas is likely to

successful cases in Yaeyama Islands are presented.

be founded upon niche markets and humanIn section 4, we analyze the determinants of thecapital-intensive activities, such as tourism andundersurface

reasonsandproduceeconomy performance, the construction of theculture factors and common vision of the island. Our
concluding remarks are to be found in Section 5.

insurmountable in spite of some serious challenges
areas.

In

small areas appear to have made effective use of alimited policy portfolio. Because most economic
manipulation, fiscal and monetary policies are

As Armstrong and Read pointed out, these are not
small

2002a; Armstrong et al., 1998). Second, successfulpolicies such as trade protectionism, exchange rate

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

facingfinancial services (Armstrong and Read, 1995, 2000,

fact,

the

economic

performance of many small areas has been strong
whether in terms of their growth rates or income
levels (Milner and Westaway, 1993; Armstrong andRead, 1995; Milner and Weyman-Jones, 2003).
Streeten, Armstrong and Read analyzed deeply the

ineffective, many small states choose to have theirexchange rate linked with a hard currency, and havebeen able to negotiate preferential relations with the
major trade blocs and the global economic powers(Kazuku, 1994; Armstrong et al., 1998, 2002b).
Third, many small states have been able to exploit
their cultural distinctiveness and strong social
capital (Putnam, 1993; Baldacchino, 2003), althoughnepotism and clientilism are also ever-present
2/11

dangers. Finally, some small areas have been lucky

surveys were conducted with tourists, government

enough to inherit valuable natural resources (e.g. fish, officials and entrepreneurs. A large variety ofoil) and others (Armstrong et al., 1998; Armstrongarchival materials and information have been

and Read, 2000, 2001, 2002a). Kakazu (1994) also

obtained from the bulletins of the government andpointed out that small islands have special

local almanac. It is believed that such effort may

characteristics relating to their economies, natural

help the researchers to attain the sincere ideology toresources

the island development.

andsocial-cultures.

Smallislandeconomies are less diversified and more specialized
than other eonomies in that they are mostly based
initiallyon

naturalresource-based

activities

3.1 Background to the Yaeyama Islands
In this section, we present a brief background to(particulary primary sectors such as agriculture andYaeyama Islands.

As an archipelago in Okinawa

fisheries) and later on tertiary sectors (such as

Prefecture, Yaeyama is the remotest part of Japan

toursim).

from the main islands and contains both the mostOf course, many small areas are still in hot water,

southern (Hateruma) and most western (Yonaguni)

including some islands of Japan which exhibit highinhabited islands of Japan. It is far closer to Taiwan

out-migration, over-dependence on aid and the kindthan to Okinawa Island (see Fig 3.1). The Yaeyama

of excessive reliance on ties to the Tokyoislands, with a total area of 228.91 km², consist of 10

government. Factually, high lose labors is the share

inhabited islands and 20 uninhabited islands. The 10

severe challenges facing the Pacific islands. It results

inhabited islands are: Hatoma, Hateruma, Ishigaki,in the desolation of some villages and shrink of theKohama, Kuro, Terama, Taketomi, Yonaguni, Yubu.

domestic market. The left old, young, and weak have

80% population concentrates on Ishigakijima, which

to live on the remittance flows from their familyis the centre of Yaeyama, also the second-largest

members who work outside.

island of theYaeyama Islands. Yaeyama, like the rest

Although till recently many scholars haveprovidedvaluableinsights

regardingtherelationships between regional economic growths,
new business development and labor flows. And aof Okinawa, takes cultural influences from both
Japan and China due to its location between
Fig. 3.1 Map of Japan and Yaeyama Islands

number of scholars have provided useful starting
points to the analysis of the way in which regional
community may affect the process of economic
development. We aim to argue the direct and indirect
influence of the community culture on preserving thelabors.
3. CASES INTRODUCTION
We have studied Yaeyama Islands since July 2007
by field survey. Abundant of local residents
includingtheimmigrations

were

interviewed

informally or formally. Open-ended questionnaire
3/11China and mainland Japan. While many other islands

which is based on the joint-mission to preserve theare suffering from depopulation and economy

natural resource and traditional culture is the center

stagnation, the population of immigrant from theof the residents’ activities. Some cases for culture

mainland to Yaeyama has increases rapidly sinceand natural preservation are presented as follows:

2003,

about

residents’

3,000

cards,

theimmigrates
total

transfer

number

their

of

the

3.2.1 Starry Sky Manifesto of Ishigakijima.

immigrations reaches 5,000 (April, 2005). The

Ishigaki is the second-largest island of the Yaeyama

population transition of Yaeyama, Ishigakijima,Island group. As the only city on the islands, it

Taketomi, and Yonaguni is prensented in Figure 3.2.

functions as the business and transport center of theMoreover, the prosperity of the local industries canarchipelago. Ishigaki Airport is the largest airport inbe observed during our investigation and interview

the Yaeyamas and Japan's largest third-class airport.

with the local entrepreneurships and immigrations,

Ishigaki was originally founded in 1908 as Yaeyama

not only the developing tourism industry but also

Village, an amalgamation of the Ishigaki, Ōhama,revitalization of the traditional industries.

and Miyara magiri. In 1914 it was renamed to
Ishigaki Village, and grew to become Ishigaki Town

Fig 3.2 Population transition of Yaeyama

in 1926. It became a city on July 10th, 1947. Its
population decreased from 41,315 (1965) graduallyto 35,000 (1975). However, there is an increment
tendency in recent years. Outflow of labor force wasdecreased because of the amelioration of theinfrastructure and also the remarkable expansion of
the tourism industry. As of 2007, the city has apopulation of 47,804 (October 2007) in the 228.91
km² total area. The detail data of the three industries

Yaeyama Daily Newspaper(2007-05-15 10:24:11)
http://www.y-mainichi.co.jp/?action_article_show=tr
ue&article_id=8120

employees and its transition can be read in the Table
3.1.
Table 3.1 Number of employees in three industries
1995(Ratio %)3.2 Nature and culture preservation
The natural resource and culture are the vitals for theisland development, not only as the resource
platformfor

tourismindustry,

but

also

the

advantageous points for the agriculture industry.
Maybe because of its insularity, and small size,
islanders

have

an

innateability

to

work

First
industry
SecondindustryThird
industry

2000(Ratio %)2005(Ratio %)2,627

13.6 2,408 12.2 2,405 11.2

4,137

21.4 3,852 19.4 3,371

15.7

12,580 65.0 13,232 66.8 15,132 70.7

collaboratively. On the one hand, the shared resource, others
3 0.0
313 1.6 502
2.4
culture and mission connected all the islanders to
Total
19,347 100 19,805 100 21,410 100
form a community. On the other hand, they are
http://www.y-mainichi.co.jp/?action_article_show=tr
endeavored to consolidate this community to keep
ue&article_id=8120
the social cohesion. In such situation, the community
4/11

The residents here presented the Starry Sky

half and five years. The company’s business includes

Manifesto in 2006. In the manifesto, it is mentioned

wooden architecture (5%) and concrete construction,that among the 88 constellations, 84 can be observedwith 12 employees whose average age is around 40

in Ishigaki. The cross star twinkles like the jewel.

years old. This company esteems the tradition

They islanders value the wonderful starry sky andconstruction, the eco-construction, and the wooden

want to transmit this starry sky culture to theirarchitecture, etc. there is a peculiar rule that,children who bear the future of the island generationsmoking is forbidden on site for construction

by generation, also appeal all the islanders andbecause maybe the wood or other natural material

tourists to protect the natural and culture resources.

may be allergic to the smoke, the flavor of thetobacco maybe retain in the wood and ruin the

3.2.2 Community establishment and consolidation

original flavor.

in Taketomi Island.
3.2.4 To avoid over-number tourists.
Taketomi has a population of approximately 360 (asof 2006) and an area of 5.42 km². It is known for its

Tourism remains a key development strategy for 21st

traditional houses, stone walls, and sandy streets,

century Yaeyama islands. The number of tourists tomaking it popular with tourists. Popular tourist

Yaeyama keeps increasing year by year, In 1972,

activities include relaxing at the beach, snorkeling,

30,000 tourists consumed around 730 million yen,taking an ox-cart ride through the village, and simply

while in 2006, the number of the tourists increased towalking or biking around the island while enjoying

770,000, 20 times as in 1972, and the consumption

the quaintness of the village and the natural scenery.

for sightseeing increased to 76 times, amounted toHere there are some social regulations. Such like

54.9 billion yen while the revenue of agriculture in

every family should join cleaning the street in the2006 was only 12 billion yen. However, agriculture

morning together, during the biggest festival,

did not decrease compared with 1972, on theeveryone is asked to attend the festival, and thosecontrary, it was two times as the amount in 1972. In

who can not obey to the customs have to move away

addition, the cruise ship from Taiwang restarted thefrom this area. Also various rules are in place toservice this year, Ishigakijima camp of professional

prevent the more aesthetically-displeasing aspects ofbaseball team Chiba Lotte also be launched next

modern construction from ruining the beauty of thespring, the Ishigakijima will be incorporated into theisland, such as replacing concrete walls withnational park with Iriomotejima in 2013. All thesehand-packed stone. The island is also famous for its

fair wind will accelerate the tourism industry of

beautiful beaches and "star-sand" (hoshizuna);

Yaeyama, the target 1million tourists will come true

remains of tiny sea animals. In order to avoid thein the near future. The prosperity of the tourism

extinct of star-sand, some rules are emerged to stop

industry caused anxiety and deeper thinking of thecatching star-sand in the beach.

local people. On the one hand, people still
remembered the “tourism stagnant winter” when U.S.

3.2.3 No smoking in the construction spot.

terrorism event happened. The economy that relies

Maeki Construction Company was established by theon the tourism industry seems to be fragile to thecurrent president Mr. Maeki whose predecessor was

fluctuation of the outside environment, on the otherchief carpenter in the island. The president returned

hand, tourism, as presently structured, calls for 1,000

to the island after learned concrete technology forliters (264 gallons) of water a day to satisfy the
5/11

life-stylerequirements

of

each

tourist,thepollution. The production of waste and pollution, theinstallation of desalination plants might offer one

overexploitation

possible solution, but the trial plant which has begun

infrastructural will also affect the natural resources,

to operate on Okinawa's main island, is small scale,

finally, some impacts on the population in terms ofdependent on fossil fuel, and expensive. However,human health and mortality will emerge (issue on thethe availability and suitability of resources is limited

Nikkei business May 14, 2007). At the same time,in islands. In the meanwhile, the over-large tourists

the new residents always face to the frictions withwill also generate great pressure to the natural

the community customs, since there tend to be aresource. How to keep the sustainable development

trouble between the migrants who do not understandof the tourism industry of Yaeyama becomes hot

the culture of the island. Some places even the

topic.

istraditional culture has been discarded because theconsidering about limitation to the quantity ofimmigrants become the main part of the population

tourists each day.

gradually. During the investigation, the official staff

Nowadays,theislandcommunity

andmaintenance

of

the

expressed their anxious for the over-number

3.2.5 To avoid over-number immigration

immigrations. They have already declared theDuring these years, Yaeyama islands are considered
as a yearning southern paradise to keep away fromthe competitive world of the mainland by lots ofsituation to public officially.
3.3 Nature and culture exploitation

immigrations from mainland of Japan, including the

Okinawa’s promising agricultural products are in theretired baby boom generation. The "Migrationarea

bubble" could be observed in the construction"Okinawa" is fast becoming a brand name forindustry aiming to satisfying the demand of the"healthapartment

The

world-renowned "healthy islands" image. Okinawa's

architectural confirmation application increased

life expectancy, in the past two decades, haslargely during the past five year, from 256 in 2002 toincreased from 72 to 77 years for men, and 79 to 85

406 in 2006. Averagely, there is an inflow of theyears for women, making Okinawa the healthiest

young generation near by 1000 people each year

place in the world. Okinawa's longevity is the

because 600 emigration but 1600 young person

product of a complex combination of climate, culture,

immigration. One the one hand, island population

closely-knit social organizations, foods and lifestyles.

tends to leave their birthplaces and migrate to the

Foods are considered to be the most important factor

cities and the coastal resorts in the search for betterfor long life. Various healthy foods have been

life and employment opportunities. On the otherdeveloped and marketed nationwide. Here two cases

hand, other outside young people were attracted byofthe nature in the island, work three months to one

productions are presented.

of

the

migrant

nowadays.

year in the islands. About 10 percent of them selectto settle down in the island. However, in Yaeyama,

of

high

high
and

value-added
longevity"

value-added,"Healthy
becausediversified

foods."
ofits

agriculture

3.3.1 Sugarcane VS pineapple

there are no remarkable industries to afford job

In Okinawa, sugarcane and pineapple have been theopportunities. (Yomiuri Shimbun April 12, 2005).

most important cash crops traditionally, accounting

The increased population caused increasing demand

for more than 20% of all farm incomes and 50% of

for housing, food and water, and also waste andcultivated land. However, incomes from sugarcane
6/11

and pineapple production have declined significantlyththe old times. Awamori brandy was transmitted fromas a result of stagnant prices andSiam (present Thai country) to Ryukyu about 500

productivity as well as increased international

years ago, it was said that in the old time, there wascompetition. With liberalization of pineapple imports

no doctor in the islands, the local residents made this(1990), Okinawa's fruit was costing about two to

special medicine-flavor sake to keep healthy. The

three times the world market price. Its canneries

creator of this company returned back to the island

shrank from 23 to 1 (1997), and only a heavy

and commercialized this "Awamori Sake" which was

subsidy from Tokyo kept the industry going. A

sold as souvenir in the beginning. Now the company

1995-6 study found pineapple plantations, whichhas 50 employees, with about 800 million yen inaccounted for only 3 per cent of Okinawa's

annual turnover. Its business touches on not only

agriculture, responsible for over half of the soil

sake but also various products, such as cosmetics. It

run-off on the islands as a whole. Sugar cane wasuses its own Awamori sake, moromi vinegar, and thesimilarly problematic, with Okinawan sugar costing

marine collagen removed from fish instead of animal

seven to eight times world market prices for raw

collagen in the light of safety. In addition, thesugar. It has been an urgent task for the local"Pineapple wine" is developed by virtue ofgovernment and farmers to diversify from sugarcane

mass-produced

centeredother"Pineapple wine" has been registered as fruit wine.

diversified cash crops. During the last ten years,

The president mentioned this product is under thepineapple marketing (development entertainments

obligation of brewing sake based on farm products inand acted the tourist attracting in various places) was

region. The slogan of the company is: The whole

progressed, with cooperation with the souvenir shop

heart is included in each drop.

since 80

monocultural

agriculture

intopineapple

of

local

are.

The

and the restaurant, in the region. There was a

Although production scales of these "niche"

rethinking that the farmer also voluntarily thought

products are still small, they possess comparative

about sales, and it came to sell it for hundreds ofadvantages in uniqueness of resource use andyen/a piece as a souvenir (directly by post) for thetechnology. Furthermore, these products usually

tourist now. For the internet shopping, averagely,require more local inputs, including raw materials

Ishigaki pineapple is about 800 yen each one, more

and labor, than conventional trading products.

expensive than average ones. Also, pineapple juice
can be bought in internet shop by direct distribution
from

Ishigaki.

In

their

advertisement,

4. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

theyemphasize on that the special climate condition and

In Yaeyama islands case, it seems that a recycle loop

soil quality are best suitable for pineapple which isincluding all the actors living on an island has been

not only especially delicious, but also helpful for theformed. Their inter-relations are illustrated in Figureskin and health.

4.1. Population and socio-cultural cohesiveness is

3.3.2 Commercialization of Ryukyu Awamori

closely related to socio-demographic problems
which then influence the process of development

Another successful case in Yaeyama is to exploit theitself and human welfare. Development activities

traditional sake to produce diversified products. The

generate job and business opportunities which thenmain product, Ryukyu Awamori Yaesen wasprovide income for the people. The quality of theoriginated from the wisdom of health maintenance inislander’s life will influence their
7/11

Figure 4.1 Inter-relations among all the factors

canneries

were

eliminatedthroughfierceglobalization competition.

community

Local pineapple planting
Social-cultural

Net-immigration

Industrycustomers

Job-opportunity

cohesivenesswere

somehowcompelled to seek a way tosave themselves. However,regional attractiveness

NaturalpeopleDevelopment

under the same severe
globalization shock, someresources

people recommended that

Human welfare

sugar

attitude to the shared culture and nature. Interaction

cane

can

be

between the economy and natural resources maybe

transformed from being merely cane for sugar into

not always occur directly. However, it always has

the raw material for a range of industries, including

some connection through promoting the regionalfuel, distillation, fermentation, and fiber (highattractiveness. The development of the region (suchquality paper and cellulose), but anyway, sugarcane

as infrastructure) will determine the human welfare,planting industry reacted and resuscitated morewhich then affects the activities and cohesiveness of

slowly than pineapple industry. Maybe there are

the community, and community behaves as themany reasons in the viewpoint of the whole

culture and natural resources preservation principal

marketing strategy, the direct subsidy support iscarrier. The existence of migrants influence thepresumed to be one of the main reasons. The tinysocial-cultural cohesiveness though community. And

profit made the people be contented with the status

the activates of the tourists will cause burden to thequo and lose their motivation to change. It seems

natural resources. Among these relationships, thethat the financial support from government snuffedcommunity can be regarded as the jumping-off pointout the vigor of the industry in the long term. Theof the loop. The issue how to exert the community to

government should guide the local community, notpreserve the natural resources and consolidate thejust afford money or subsidy for the local industry,social-culture can be illuminated from the case of

because it will snuff out the vigor of the industry inYaeyama Islands. The factors both exogenous andthe long term.

endogenous are analyzed as follow:

4.1.2 Knowledge learning from outside

4.1 Exogenous factors for cultivating the regional
community

land, but mentally, it should be inter-collected with

4.1.1 Government temperate participation.
The islands somehow enjoy autonomous franchise.
The level of moderation of the governmental
participation should be paid great attention. From thecomparison

Geographically, the island is isolated from the main

of

the

sugarcaneandpineapple

industries, pineapple industry did not have subsidy
as sugarcane industry from government. The
comparatively low-profit but high-cost pineapple

outside. Learning knowledge from outside is helpful
for updating and amelioration for the regional
culture. In this case, most of the entrepreneurs
returned to the island to start the business after theylearnedknowledge

fromoutside,includinguniversities or social institutions. They broad theireyes visions and activate their mind through learning
outside. The qualities of independent, imaginative
thinking and the cultivation of artistic sensitivity are
8/11

likely to be the seedbed of a new entrepreneurialismstascribed reasons for regional success or failure,

for the 21 century. And entrepreneurial culture may

values instilled in children, attitudes towards futureaffect economic growth in an indirect way as well. A

developments,society characterized by an entrepreneurial culture

freedom, preference for region versus private

may lead to higher levels of entrepreneurshipownership of business, region versus individual

subsequently triggering a process of economic

responsibility

dynamism,

importanceresultingineconomic

growthpreference

for
of

for

welfare,freedomequalityandversustheversusrelative

equality.

The

immigrants, can be fresh blood to impel the(Beugelsdijk, 2007).
4.2 Endogenous factors for cultivating theregional culture

development of the island, but also can beencumbrance for the cohesiveness of the community.
Yaeyama Islands pay attention to the education for4.2.1 Internal organization with the common

the human. Not only hold many common citizen

mission: joint community establishment.

activities, including training lecture in the residential

Just because of the limited resource and scale of theislands, it seems all the islanders know each other
well, they could draw together to overcome thedisadvantageous of the geographical remoteness.
Moreover, the precious natural and culture is theirindispensable living footstone, the community
should undertakes the mission to preserve theseresources.

This

joint

community,

as

the

self-organization of the local people, now behaves as
the physical carrier of the culture and executors forpreservation of the natural resources. The joined
mission is addressed as the soul of the community.
In Yaeyama Islands, the Star sky manifesto
expresses the shared vision and prospect for the
future.
4.2.2 Human resource education
Human, as the attendee, is builder and also
beneficiaries, in the development activities of region
economy. The human resources require carefulcultivation as well. Island’s social and cultural
diversity may turn out to be as precious as thebiodiversity of its nature. In this context, theeducated objective includes the young generation
who were born in the islands and the immigrants.
The education for the human resources pertained tocenter, but also promulgate some regulation of theresidents.
5. CONCLUSION
The distinctive feature for the islands is the resources
limitation, it is insulated from the main market,
unable to form scale of economy, in a word, islands
may have many inherent disadvantages as manyother laggard places. However, Yaeyama Islands
effectively exert the limited resources, including thepeople, natural resources and culture through thecommon community. In this paper, we mainly
focused on one element, the role of culture. Ourfinding is as follows:
1) Culture capital could be seemed as the key
catalystforsocial-cohesivenessandnaturepreservation. The case study illustrated the pursuit oflocal development path could depend on thecultivation of the culture and identity of thecommunity.
2) As the self-organization of the local people aswell as the physical carrier of the culture,community should be utilized effectively to preserve
the natural resources, consolidate the social-culture,
and assimilate the immigration.
Here is not the place to develop an elaborate
blue-print for a sustainable island economy, but
9/11

some basic implications might be essayed. The
results of this study are expected to provide some
contribution to policy-maker in establishing a future

sovereign micro-states, Economic Development andCultural Change 48(2): 285–306.

strategic plan for others, particularly island areas

Armstrong, H.W. and R. Read, 2001. Explaining

such as South Pacific archipelago. This case study

differences in the economic performance ofalso implies:

micro-states in Africa and Asia, in P. Lawrence and1) In the development process of the laggard area,

C. Thirtle (eds.), Africa and Asia in comparative

the good intention of the local or center governmentis reasonable and understandable, but moderation ofdevelopment, pp. 128–157.

the governmental participation should be paid great

Armstrong, H.W. and R. Read. 2002. The phantom

attention. Just afford money or subsidy for the local

of liberty? Economic growth and the vulnerability ofindustry may be detrimental to the industry in thesmall states, Journal of International Development

long term.
2) The education of the human resource is14(3): 435–458.

indispensable for the development of the local

Armstrong, H.W. and Robert Read., Geographicalindustry. This education comprises not only high‘handicaps’ and small states: Some implications forlevel teaching about industrial technology and otherthe Pacific from a global perspective Asia Pacificknowledge from outside, but also entrepreneurship

Viewpoint, Vol. 47, No. 1, April 2006 pp79–92

principles and love for the region.

Briguglio, L. (1995) Small island developing states
and

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The

authors

would

like

to

express

sinceretheireconomic

vulnerabilities,

World

Development 23(10): 1615–1632.

appreciation to Ms. Sakiko Kedashiro and her family

Beller, W.,d’ Ayala,P.,and Hein,P.1990. Sustainable

and

for

development and environment management of smallinterviewing in Yaeyama. Thanks are also due toislands. United Nations Educational, Scientific andProf. Osam Tomisawa, in Kochi University of

Cultural Organization, Paris.

Technology, for his precious suggestions for thisCoull, James R.,Towards a sustainable economy for

research.

This work was supported in part by thethe Shetland Islands: Development and management

Special Subsidies in Subsidies for ordinary expense

issues in fishing and fish farming GeoJournal 39.2:

of private schools from the Promotion and Mutual

185-194.© 1996 (June)

Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan.

David F Batten 1993 Culture and regional revisited

friends

for

their

kind

cooperation

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