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Venue
DIJ Tokyo (access).
Co-organizers
Waseda University, Sophia University, Temple University, Rikkyo University, Maison franco-japonaise
Registration Info
On-site only Event: For participation, please register via email to forum[at]dijtokyo.org until December 11, 2026.
This is a public event. Please be aware that audio-visual recordings may be made, stored, and published during and after the event.
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Communicative Spaces and How They Support Resilience and Sustainability in Rural Japan
December 14, 2026 / 18.30 - 20.00
Sebastian Polak-Rottmann (DIJ Tokyo)
The talk is part of the “Itinerant Seminar Series on Sustainability”
Demographic change has created gaps in rural Japan, making it increasingly difficult to sustain patterns of community organisation and local activities in the natural environment. To address these gaps, local authorities and citizen groups have started initiatives in various parts of the country. The creation of “communicative spaces” lies at the core of several recent revitalisation initiatives. These spaces enable an open discussion among a diverse set of people and eventually create a productive atmosphere supporting adaptive community practices. Based on fieldwork in Kumamoto, Tottori, and rural Tokyo, I introduce examples of how communities set up and use communicative spaces. These exist in various shapes and contexts, not limited to a specific age group or based on the place of origin. As a result, they contribute to the resilience of local communities and the sustainability of the region.
Sebastian Polak-Rottmann is Principal Researcher at the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ Tokyo) and the head of its research cluster on “Sustainability in Japan”.