Remote Island - Ritou

Japanese: 離島 - りとう

An island that is separated from the mainland by the sea. Japan is said to be an island nation, and islands that are separated from the mainland where prefectural offices are located are called remote islands. There are both inhabited and uninhabited islands, and there are a total of about 6,800 remote islands in Japan, of which 315 are permanently inhabited. Among the inhabited remote islands, there are islands of various sizes, from islands with a population of nearly 70,000, such as Sado Island, to small islands with only around 10 residents, and there are also significant differences in location conditions, such as distance from the mainland, some that form an archipelago, and some that are isolated.

Generally speaking, remote islands are small in terms of both their shape and population, and lack transportation facilities. In terms of industry, primary industry accounts for a large proportion of the total, and residents' incomes are low. Many of them lack the necessary living environment and facilities, and are often considered to be underdeveloped regions. Historically, many of the remote islands have occupied a certain position in maritime transportation, and have played a role in the inheritance and development of culture according to their respective positions, and have also seen their own culture develop. Furthermore, some islands were used as places of exile by the shogunate or feudal domains, and some have developed in unique ways.

Settlements on remote islands are often concentrated near ports, which serve as the island's gateway, due to the limited amount of flat land and the need to avoid the effects of seasonal winds. There are few social structures that are particularly distinctive of remote islands, but in many cases, despite the relatively lack of hierarchical differentiation, a strong sense of village order can be found. Furthermore, it is said that residents of remote islands often have a closed and exclusive mindset.

[Hasumi Otohiko]

Remote island development

As modern industry developed, small-scale remote islands based on primary industries were gradually left behind. In particular, as lifestyle changes progressed nationwide during the period of high economic growth, population outflows in remote islands became severe due to delays in industry and the development of living environments and facilities, and an increasing number of islands suffered from a lack of successors and an aging population. In order to promote the development of remote islands and encourage residents to settle there, the Remote Islands Development Act (Law No. 72 of 1953) was enacted, which established development plans for each island and provided assistance for the implementation of development projects. As of September 2007, 261 islands were designated under this act. In addition, 49 islands are designated under the Amami Islands Development Special Measures Act (Law No. 189 of 1954), the Ogasawara Islands Development Special Measures Act (Law No. 79 of 1969), and the Okinawa Development Special Measures Act (Law No. 14 of 2002).

Since the isolation of remote islands from the mainland is the most difficult condition for them, the most important points in developing remote islands have been the development of ports and ensuring transportation for residents. At the same time, in order to improve the living environment, road development, introduction of electricity and water, and the development of social capital such as schools have been promoted, and efforts have also been made to develop the island's industries to ensure residents' income. Although the development of social capital has progressed to a certain extent through these measures, there are many difficulties in promoting industry. That is, remote islands generally have little flat land and few water resources, so there are limitations to agricultural development. In terms of fishing, there are limitations in terms of scale due to restrictions such as ports, and in many cases the islands are at a disadvantage compared to the mainland in terms of the development of storage and processing facilities and distribution. In recent years, there are many cases in which various industries, including tourism, complement each other to support the economies of islanders, but it can also be seen that such management methods make it difficult to take bold development measures.

[Hasumi Otohiko]

"Remote Island Diagnosis" edited by Fujioka Kenjiro and Ukita Noriyoshi (1975, Chijin Shobo)" ▽ "Sakurada Katsunori Collected Works 4: Folklore of Remote Islands and Mountain Villages" commented by Ofuji Tokihiko (1981, Meishu Publishing)" ▽ "Miyamoto Tsuneichi Collected Works 4 & 5: Japan's Remote Islands" (1969, 1970, Miraisha)" ▽ "Remote Island Development Handbook" edited by the Japan Remote Island Center (1985, Ministry of Finance Printing Bureau)

[Reference] | Island

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

本土から海を隔てて隔絶している島。日本は島国であるといわれるが、都道府県庁の所在する本土から隔絶している島が離島といわれる。離島には有人島と無人島があり、日本にはあわせて約6800の離島があるが、このうち人が常住している島は315島である。有人離島のうちには、佐渡島(さどがしま)のように、人口7万近いものから、わずかに10戸前後の居住者のある程度の小離島までさまざまな規模のものがあり、また本土からの距離の遠近や、群島をなすもの、孤立しているものなど、立地条件などにかなりの差のあるものを含んでいる。

　概していえば離島は、形態的にも、また人口規模からも小さく、輸送手段に恵まれない。産業の面では第一次産業の比重が高く、住民の所得も低い。生活環境施設などの整備も不十分なものが多く、開発の遅れている地域として位置づけられることが多い。歴史的にみれば、離島の多くは海上交通において一定の位置を占めており、それぞれの位置に応じて文化の継承発展に役割を果たしてきたのであり、またそれぞれの島において文化の発展をみてきた。さらに、幕府や藩が流刑地として利用した島もあり、特色のある発展をしてきたものもある。

　離島の集落は、平坦(へいたん)地が限られ、季節風の影響を避けることなどから、島の玄関に相当する港の近くに集中して形成されることが多い。社会構造のうえでとくに離島に特徴的とされるものは少ないが、比較的階層分化に乏しいにもかかわらず、村落秩序としては多分に強固なものがみいだされる例が多い。また、離島住民の間では、しばしば閉鎖的で排他的なものの考え方が強いといわれる。

［蓮見音彦］

離島振興

近代産業が発展するにつれて、規模の小さい第一次産業を基盤とする離島は徐々に取り残される結果となった。ことに高度経済成長過程での生活様式の変化が全国的に進んだ結果、離島では産業面の遅れや生活環境施設の整備の遅れのために、人口流出が激化し、後継者の不足や人口の高齢化に悩む島が増大するようになった。離島の振興を図り、住民の定住を進めるために、離島振興法（昭和28年法律72号）が制定され、それぞれの島の振興計画をたてるとともに、振興事業の実施についての援助がなされている。2007年（平成19）9月現在、261の島が同法による指定を受けている。なお、これとは別に奄美(あまみ)群島振興開発特別措置法（昭和29年法律189号）、小笠原(おがさわら)諸島振興特別措置法（昭和44年法律79号）、沖縄振興特別措置法（平成14年法律14号）によって指定されている49の島がある。

　離島のもつ本土との隔絶性が離島にとってもっとも困難な条件をなすだけに、離島振興のもっとも重要なポイントは港湾の整備と住民の交通の確保に置かれてきたが、それとともに生活環境の整備のため、道路の開発整備、電気・水道の導入、学校などの社会資本の整備などが進められ、さらに島の産業を開発して住民の所得を確保することにも力が注がれている。こうした施策によって社会資本の整備はある程度進んできているが、産業の振興には困難が多い。すなわち、離島では、概して平坦地が少なく水資源が乏しいことから農業の発展には限界がある。漁業の面では、港湾などの制約から規模のうえでの限界があり、また貯蔵加工施設の整備や流通の面で本土に比べて不利な場合が少なくない。近年は、観光などを含めてさまざまな産業が相互に補完しあって島民の経済を支えている例が多いが、そうした経営のあり方がかえって思いきった発展の方策をとりにくくしている面もみられる。

［蓮見音彦］

『藤岡謙二郎・浮田典良編『離島診断』（1975・地人書房）』▽『大藤時彦解説『桜田勝徳著作集4　離島と山村の民俗』（1981・名著出版）』▽『『宮本常一著作集4・5　日本の離島』（1969、70・未来社）』▽『日本離島センター編『離島振興ハンドブック』（1985・大蔵省印刷局）』

[参照項目] | 島

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