Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Department of Economics Economics

Tourism and Regional Revitalization Course

The challenges facing local communities and the tourism industry
Work to solve the problem

Course Features
Flow of the four years
Class Introduction
Student Interview
Qualifications and Career Paths

Course Features

We will consider solutions from an economic perspective to the issues surrounding the role of local communities and regional tourism in a declining population, super-aging society, and global society. As the resident population will inevitably decline in the future, tourism, which is at the forefront of inflow of population, has become an important theme for regional revitalization. There is a wealth of active learning in collaboration with tourism companies such as hotels and government agencies (city hall, etc.), and students will actually go to the site to understand social needs and regional issues and derive solutions.
Three points
- Understanding "tourism" and "regional revitalization" from an economic perspective
- Learn data science and develop evidence-based analytical and problem-solving skills
- Plenty of practical learning opportunities

Flow of the four years

1st year (common to all courses)

Discovering various social issues through economics

In the first year, students learn the basics of economics while acquiring logical thinking skills and analytical skills based on statistics. Students will logically consider the causes and solutions of all social and economic problems of the past, present, and future from an economics perspective.

Reference Lessons

Introductory Economics, Basic Seminar, Basic Statistics
Second Year

Planning measures to revitalize the local area through fieldwork

Through fieldwork, we will work with industry, government, and academia to consider measures that will lead to an increase in the influx of people. We will actively communicate with government and companies to have our ideas evaluated and clarify the issues that need to be addressed in order to put them into practice.

Reference Lessons

Basic Specialized Seminar A/B, Tourism and Hospitality Theory
Third Year

Learn about the link between tourism and regional revitalization through examples of regional revitalization

Students will compare the past and present of regional revitalization in their own countries, analyze the current situation, and explore the potential for growth in the tourism industry in regional revitalization. With the goal of discovering and creating tourism resources in each region, students will learn about the relationship between tourism and regional revitalization from an economic perspective, while referring to successful examples.

Reference Lessons

Seminar I, Tourism Economics, Regional Economics, Special Topics in Tourism Business A/B, Community Design Theory, Community Design Seminar, Public Policy, Public Policy Seminar
Fourth Year

Aiming to contribute to regional revitalization through practical learning

Students will conduct fieldwork to create tourism resources and contribute to regional revitalization. This is a practical initiative involving collaboration between industry, government, and academia. As this initiative generates income and expenditures, students will discuss with their partners what measures to take in the event of a deficit and consider the impact their efforts have had on regional revitalization. Through these practical learning experiences, students will view the tourism industry from an economic perspective and conduct analysis using objective data.

Reference Lessons

Tourism Economics, Regional Economics, Special Topics in Tourism Business A/B, Community Design Theory, Community Design Seminar, Public Policy, Public Policy Seminar

Class Introduction

Basic Specialized Exercises

Person in charge: Professor Kazuhiko Yamakawa / Assistant Professor Jungan Ouyang

This is a class where students use their minds and bodies to solve real social issues. They learn about the connections between tourism resources and local resources and the local economy and management, and consider how to revitalize the region. They also understand the ideas and mechanisms for promoting Japanese subculture overseas, and plan and propose projects for partner companies.
Tourism Economics

Person in charge: Professor Yoshiki Kago

Tourism is a prime example of "experience consumption," where people enjoy experiences, and is an industry with great potential for growth in revitalizing local communities struggling with an aging society. In this class, students will use data to analyze the economic impact of tourism and understand how the tourism industry relates to the overall economy, regional revitalization, and other industries. Students will also learn about the diverse forms of tourism today, such as ecotourism and inbound tourism.
Tourism Business Special Lecture A/B

Three things are needed to revitalize a region: young people, outsiders, and fools. Of these, the most important are the fools who come up with interesting ideas. This intensive course will be taught by Part-time Lecturer with unique ideas. The ideas gained from these Senior Lecturer will inspire you and lead to useful learning.

Student Interview

Why did you choose this major?

The reason I chose to major in Tourism and Regional Revitalization (currently the Tourism and Regional Revitalization course Economics) is because I visited my father's hometown of Sannohe Town in Aomori Prefecture every year since I was a child. Sannohe Town is an attractive place rich in nature and beautiful scenery, but in recent years, the town has been experiencing a declining birthrate and aging population, and I witnessed its once vibrant shopping district turning into a deserted shopping district. Learning that this situation is occurring all over the country, I began to wonder, "What can I do?" I chose this major because I wanted to revitalize the town by leveraging tourism and the charm of the region. I would like to learn about sustainable development that utilizes local resources and regional revitalization through tourism, and in the future I would like to contribute to solving issues in Sannohe Town and other local areas.

What are you particularly focusing on learning?

I am particularly focused on a class called "Basic Specialized Seminar." In this class, I collaborate with local government officials from Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, and Sakai Town, Ibaraki Prefecture, to practically consider how to revitalize each region. Specifically, I analyze local issues and propose various plans and policies as solutions. For example, I work on a wide range of themes, such as promoting tourism, building local brands, and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of immigrants. In addition, there are many opportunities to give presentations in class, which helps me hone my ability to communicate clearly and think logically. I believe these experiences will be extremely useful when I enter the workforce in the future.

Student Interview — Riyo Uchizawa, 3rd year student, from Ibaraki Prefectural Ina High School

Qualifications that can be acquired

TOEIC®/IT Passport/Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination/Python3 Engineer Certification Basic Examination/CG-ARTS Association Web Designer Certification Basic Expert/CG-ARTS Association Multimedia Certification Basic Expert/MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist)/Nissho Bookkeeping Certification Level 3/Statistical Certification Level 3 and Level 2/Financial Planning Skills Certification Level 3 and Level 2/Economics Certification Examination (ERE Micro and Macro)

Target career path

Civil servants (prefectures and municipalities), manufacturers, trading companies, finance, IT, logistics, construction and real estate, travel and tourism, local cooperatives, regional coordinators, international civil servants, global companies, etc.