Nine projects are to be researched actively during 2001. The goal for the J-side is to accelerate its research guided by the contents for the book, interests of members and the experience from the three exploratory projects in 2000. The C-side goal seeks to deepen the research already started in 2000 and to include the J-sites within the NRE research currently being designed for 2001.

The following projects include both those discussed at the Workshop and those discussed subsequently by some members of the C-J Steering Committee at Tsukuba subsequent to the Workshop.

Governance (Odagiri/Jean)

The governance team of Odagiri and Jean explained a two-pronged approach to rural governance. The first is to research the effects of amalgamation of local rural governments on governance. Japan is planning the next round in a long history of consolidation of rural governments. Canadian provinces are each involved in some way in consolidation. Governance includes volunteer associations, cultural norms, markets, major rural institutions and municipal government.

The second line of inquiry is how to build a sense of community within new groupings of long-established communities such as hamlets.

This research will involve fieldwork in both Japan and Canada. Odagiri will carry out fieldwork in at least Tweed and St Damase during the summer. Jean may return to Iitate and Awano in the autumn.

Early results will be available for the Rural University in Saskatchewan.

Globalization (Nakagawa/Apedaile)

The research question is: What should be the appropriate strategy for rural revitalization under pressure of trade liberalization?

The research proposes to use systems dynamics modeling techniques (Stella), beginning with parameters estimated for Iitate. A closed systems model is proposed initially, to be followed by opening to trade under various levels of protection. The dependent variables are rural incomes and population. Quality of life is considered to be an important outcome but beyond the competence of the model. Once the model is working, it will be applied to Tweed and St Damase.

The research intends to examine the impact of trade liberalization on the whole rural economy. The first step will be an orthodox commodity model focused on agriculture. The second step will reconfigure the agricultural sector into a multifunctional primary sector including food security, amenities, environment, and urban waste processing. The amenity functions include human habitat, recreation and tourism. The environmental function includes carbon sequestration and pollution abatement, both contributing to overall agricultural (primary sector) productivity. All primary sector functions will be treated as joint products, internalizing market options for pricing and valuation including trade-marking (labeling) and identity preservation. Multiple land use is treated as going hand-in-hand with the multiple functions. Conclusions for migration, tax revenue, local government services and the environment are to be drawn.

The third step is to expand the model to include the other sectors, industrial, commercial services and public services. Initially the industrial sector is treated as independent of the primary sectors, involving no value adding. The commercial and public sectors are considered to be linked to the primary sectors through income and employment multipliers.

The fourth step is to open the rural economic system to trade liberalization, including global technology. Simulations will attempt to compare rural revitalization strategies including reinvestment options and various treatments of valuation methods for the multiple functions of the primary resource sectors.

Modeling the multifunctional nature of the primary sector is the real focus of this attempt to identify new strategic options. No output is planned for 2001.

Volunteers (Tachikawa/Wall/Halseth)

The research question is: How can the impact of volunteer associations on rural revitalization, as part of the rural governance system, and in particular their connection to economic revitalization, be enhanced? The inquiry is organized in four parts. The first is to describe the structure of the rural volunteer (third) sector, comparatively for both countries. The second is to study how the structure and performance of the sector has been influenced by globalization affecting other parts of rural governance in each country, for example, amalgamation of municipalities. The third is to compare state interventions in the third sector over the `70s, `80s and `90s in both countries using the four sites of Iitate, Awano, Tweed and St Damase for evidence.

The C-side volunteer survey instrument used in the NRE 2000 Program is to be applied to a sample of volunteer leaders in Iitate and Awano during the summer by J-side personnel. Every attempt will be made to assure comparability if modifications are needed for the Japanese situation. The household survey being designed for Canadian NRE sites in 2001 is also to be applied in Iitate and Awano during the summer. J-side questions may be included in the questionnaire for use in both Canadian and Japanese sites. Tachikawa is responsible for working with Reimer and Wall in this regard.

Tachikawa is planning to visit the US in connection with another research project concerning Identity Preservation, and will include a week in Canada for fieldwork in Tweed and St Damase.

Output will be presented at the CRRF Rural University 2001.

Rural geography (Halseth)

The research question has yet to be defined. Models for community development are an interest.

Property rights (Kato)

The research question is under construction. Tentatively: How are private and common property rights being self-organized relative to environmental and amenity issues, as rural economies revitalize?

Kato is to be based at Macdonald College of McGill University and intends to define this subject in connection with his PhD project.

No output is planned in 2001.

Comparative study of rural policy (Shuto)

The research question is: How have the current situations (outcomes in terms of the vitality of the rural economies and societies) in rural Canada and Japan been shaped by their respective national policies? The work is to be based on secondary data.

A presentation is to be prepared for the CRRF Rural University 2001.

Comparative history of rural development (Goto/Fairbairn)

The purpose is to define future questions for rural revitalization informed by the comparative histories of the past 50 years. Fairbairn has not been approached about his possible involvement in further research.

This work is to be based on secondary data.

A presentation based on Japanese graphics and the Fairbairn report is planned for the CRRF Workshop 2001 at Sackville.

Economic policy challenges for rural development (Tsuboi)

This topic is being researched as one of the lead chapters of the C-J Book. Tsuboi plans to work in the Canadian sites during part of the summer of 2001.

A presentation is to be made at the CRRF Rural University 2001.

Fiscal survey of municipal governments in the sites (To Be Announced)

The research questions are: What are the current revenues (tax base and rates) and expenditures of municipal governments in selected sites? How are pressures of amalgamation, globalization, and changing demands for services and local government functions being accommodated by fiscal arrangements in the sites?

This survey should be augmented by cataloguing all expenditures by senior levels of government within the sites, including those administered by local governments. A multi-year period should be considered to show trends and structural change.

A supplementary study should be considered to document the aggregate level of expenditures in the prefectures and provinces of the four comparative C-J sites and including the national aggregates.