## (2) Further Promotion of Complementarities and Interrelationships between Urban and Rural Areas

• An increasing number of young people and baby-boomers are interested in programs for complementarities and interrelationships between urban and rural areas and request implementation of such programs. Some people in their 50s, including baby-boomers, are willing to settle in the rural areas for farming.

Source: “Public Opinion Survey on Complementarities and Interrelationships between Urban and Rural Areas” (published by Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, in February 2006)

Notes: 1) The survey was conducted on 3,000 males and females, 20 years old and over, around Japan (retrieval rate 58.2%).

2) The people who said that they lived in the "urban area" or the "area very close to an urban area" were selected and asked whether they were "willing to own residences in the urban area or the rural, mountainous or fishing village" or "willing to live in the rural, mountainous or fishing village."

• The people who consider settlement in rural communities insist on provision of sufficient medical services and procurement of houses and land at reasonable prices. They also request information and counseling services.

• Agricultural cooperatives make efforts to promote various programs for improvement of local medical and welfare services.

• The local governments expect that the baby-boomers take advantage of retirement to settle in the countryside. In addition to the local government, various sectors, including related organizations and private companies, promote a large variety of programs to provide support to candidates for local residents.

Conditions for Realization of the Desire for Settlement (Multiple answers allowed)

Source: “Public Opinion Survey on Complementarities and Interrelationships between Urban and Rural Areas” (published by Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, in February 2006)

Note: The survey was conducted on 3,000 males and females, 20 years old and over, around Japan (retrieval rate 58.2%).

Support for Promotion of Settlement Provided by Local Governments

Support for settlement	• Provision of information about local life• Provision of opportunities for experiencing local life and culture in the communities• Provision of information about the real estate (vacant houses), provision of necessary support for finding lands and houses
Support for promoting being engaged in job and farming	• Introduction of programs for agricultural experiences and training in agricultural technology• Provision of counseling service for those who are interested in farming, provision of financial support• Provision of information about job offers and applications in the local area• Provision of support for entrepreneurial activities (training, counseling by experts, special assistance)• Promotion of job creation by attracting companies to the region
Continued support after migration into the region	• Giving advice about management of farms after being engaged in farming• Giving support to facilitate participation in local activities, including volunteer programs
Others	• Providing one-stop services for those in need of a large variety of support• Clarification of the needs of those who are willing to settle in the countryside and provision of support in response to their needs

Source: Prepared by MAFF