Beyond Rice: The Necessary Sacrifice and Community Transformation in Postwar Rural Japan, 1945–1970

Abstract

This study investigates the dynamics of community development and transformation in postwar rural Japan through a case study of Oyama Town, a remote, mountainous locality in southern Kyushu. From 1945 to 1970, Oyama underwent a significant transition from rice cultivation to orchard farming, a shift undertaken in defiance of stringent national and prefectural policies prioritizing rice production above all other agricultural activities. This strategic pivot necessitated the forfeiture of national subsidies, a sacrifice Oyama deemed crucial for achieving economic stability and overcoming severe poverty prevalent in the early postwar years. This research elucidates how Oyama’s determination to pursue high-income opportunities and long-term community advancement, despite adversarial conditions, holds broader implications for understanding rural development under restrictive policy environments.