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Faculty of Regional Policy

Extending education that helps people take action by examining the world from a regional perspective

Developing regional policies requires having a global perspective that incorporates such matters as overseas expansion by local companies and inbound immigration. It also requires having a broad perspective and deep insight, because some regional issues could directly affect the entire nation, e.g., declining birthrates, the aging population, and/or depopulation. This Department helps students pursue their studies by providing them with opportunities to find and solve problems on their own. It helps them conduct research from both theoretical and practical perspectives by offering the following five specialized courses: Community Development and Regional Culture; Regional Economy; Public Policy; Health and Sports; and Food, Agriculture and Environment. The Department aims to help students develop the potential to give back to regions by studying under its new academic system operated under the concept of “Observing regions to help them revitalize themselves.”


Helping students develop their ability to identify the challenges faced by regional societies and serve as a driver for the era of regional revitalization

As symbolized by the Act on Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economies in Japan put into force in 2014, regional revitalization is a keyword that will change Japanese society in the future. Under the motto “Looking at the region and revitalizing the region,” this faculty aims to foster human resources with the ability to contribute to regional society—the ability to identify and solve challenges—in view of drastic changes in regional society due to the aging population combined with the declining birthrate, and industrial globalization. The curricula of all courses are characterized by small-group education and active learning. The faculty offers small-group seminars for first- to fourth-year students, to allow them to master skills as the foundation for research activities, such as review of academic literature and social survey, and acquire the ability necessary for their graduation studies. At the same time, the faculty provides education focusing on relationships with regional society in such forms as fieldwork and policy proposals to the regional administration. Moreover, the faculty has devoted active efforts to education about the Geographic Information System (GIS), which is indispensable to regional analysis, and been authorized by the Association of Japanese geographers as a faculty where the qualification of GIS Engineer can be obtained. The faculty also promotes regional collaboration activities, including student-led regional contribution projects, allowing students to learn on their own initiative according to their own goals and interests, and producing graduates who can actively work in a wide range of fields, including regional administration.

Curriculum Features

All specialized courses issue the Geographic Information System (GIS) Engineer qualification

Visualizing regional issues
The GIS helps regions visualize and find solutions to issues by mapping information such as topographical features, including altitudes, population density, disaster risks, and evacuation sites. All students in the Faculty of Regional Policy, regardless of the course they are affiliated with, can obtain the GIS Engineer qualification by meeting the requirements for issuance.