Analysis of Leisure Behavior and Intention to Live in the Communities Focus on a Small Local City in Japan

In rural area in Japan, depopulation has been progressing significantly due to population decline. This is due to natural decline caused by the declining birthrate and aging population, as well as social decline caused by the population outflow to other cities. Regional differences in social conditions, such as employment conditions and higher education, are often discussed as factors that contribute to the population outflow from rural areas. On the other hand, few studies have focused on individual perceptions such as regional attachment and life satisfaction. In this study, we investigated the relationship between Internet-based leisure behavior, residents' subjective well-being, and their intention to continue living in their community in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which is undergoing depopulation. Leisure via the Internet can be enjoyed almost equally well in rural areas as long as there is an Internet environment. Thus it is thought that there is less disparity between cities compared to leisure time spent at leisure facilities. Therefore, this study examines the effects of promoting the use of the Internet in rural communities, where the economic scale is likely to continue to shrink in the future. Results of this study, it was clear that leisure time via the Internet contributed to some extent to residents' subjective well-being and their intention to continue living in their region.