Ritsumeikan Journal of Asia Pacific Studies
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Ritsumeikan Journal of Asia Pacific Studies Volume 34, March 2016 Original research: Use of interpretation to enhance visitor experiences at UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the case of Changdeokgung Palace Complex in South Korea Suk Young Han ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..…...……….…….. 1 Original research: The formation and commodification of Harajuku’s image in Japan Atsumi Nakao ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..…...……….………. 10 Original research: The role of libraries in ‘glocal’ education at Ama town, Shimane, Japan Joseph Quarshie & Tomoko Nanka ….…………..…………………..………………..….……….………. 20 Review: Towards community empowerment for poverty reduction in rural Afghanistan Farid Ahmad Farzam Rahimi ….…………..…………………..………………..….…………….……….. 33 Original research: Poverty reduction through women’s entrepreneurial activities in rural Andhra Pradesh, India Naveen Kolloju ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..…..……….…..…. 43 Original research: Canadian nikkei institutions and spaces Lyle De Souza ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..….……….……….. 55 Original research: Risk factors for depression among 18-45 year old women in Kabul, Afghanistan Mohammad Muhsen ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….………….………. 68 Original research: Socioeconomic factors associated with opioid drug use among the youth in Kabul, Afghanistan Abdul Shukoor Haidary …………..…………………..………………..…..….……….………….……..... 80 Original research: Social activist, patron, and broker: Indonesian migrant entrepreneurs in Taiwan Paulus Rudolf Yuniarto …………..…………………..………………..…..….……….………….……..… 93 原著論文: サービス産業のイノベーションと価値評価-テーマパーク産業におけるバリューマネジメント- 藤井 誠一 ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..…..……….………… 108 Original research: Gender equality and socio-economic development through women’s empowerment in Pakistan Qurra-tul-ain Ali Sheikh, Muhammad Meraj & Mahpara Begum Sadaqat …….……….………….... 124 Original research: A comparative study of ethnic identity among Azerbaijani speakers in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan Mostafa Khalili ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..……….………… 141 Original research: Integration-oriented product development management in Japan - an application of product-customer matrix to KAO Seiichi Fujii & Geunhee Lee ..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..……….………… 154 原著論文: 観光まちづくりの現状と阻害要因-行政担当者を対象にしたアンケート調査結果の報告 韓 準祐 ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……..…..……….……..…..… 170 Book review: Local ownership of peace building in Afghanistan: Shouldering responsibility for sustainable peace and development Abdul Tamim Karimi ….…………..…………………..………………..…..….……….……….……....… 185 i The Ritsumeikan Journal of Asia Pacific Studies is published by the Ritsumeikan Center for Asia Pacific Studies (RCAPS) at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), 1-1 Jumonjibaru, Beppu city, Oita 874- 8577, Japan, Telephone: (+81) 977-78-1134; Fax: (+81) 977-78-1135 Director of RCAPS; Chief Editor Ali Haidar Secretarial Assistants Takaumi Iwayama Jun Tau Riona Abe © Ritsumeikan Center for Asia Pacific Studies and the Authors 2015-2016 ii Editor’s Note The 34th volume of the Ritsumeikan Journal of Asia pacific Studies is being published with the same principles set in 2012. The volume includes papers from both APU and non-APU researchers. The papers published in the volume are reviewed by at least one anonymous reviewer and the editor. The journal takes pride in and follows a policy of helping authors to improve their papers through the review process. This volume includes papers that focus on issues related to business, economic development, society and tourism. The paper by Suk Young Han entitled ‘Use of interpretation to enhance visitor experiences at UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The case of Changdeokgung Palace Complex in South Korea’ reports on the interpretation media that assist visitors in understanding the meanings of attractions. The author, based on a questionnaire survey, found that visitors used such interpretation media as information panels, interpreters, and brochures. The author emphasizes that the interpretation of symbols and information provided at tourist attractions is gaining more importance because visitors intend to understand the meanings behind the symbols. The article by Atsumi Nakao entitled ‘The formation and commodification of Harajuku’s image in Japan’ discusses Harajuku in Tokyo, which is considered one of the unique representatives of Japanese contemporary culture. In terms of geographic space, it is a youth fashion street. The author discusses the evolution of this geographic space and the socio-political forces that were influential in the formation of what is now so popular not only among the local youth but also among international tourists. The author goes beyond and argues that Harajuku is not just a geographic space; it has developed a distinct image representing a unique culture that, among others, allows simple pedestrians to show their fashionable clothes. Harajuku is not just a fashion street either. It also has a commercial side. The author uses such concepts as ‘circuits of capital’ and ‘commodification of a place’ to explain this unique image of Harajuku. The article by Joseph Quarshie and Tomoko Nanka entitled ‘The role of libraries in “glocal” education at Ama town, Shimane, Japan’ discusses ways libraries in a small town in Japan provide what they call ‘glocal’ education. In the article, ‘glocal education’ refers to provision of education, literacy or information that pertains to both local and/or global content. The authors collect data by combining qualitative and quantitative methods and report that these small town libraries select local content materials to deepen the library users’ understanding of the traditional culture, of town development and of the tourism industry. The collection of global material focuses on learning from global success stories relating to town development, environmental sustainability, and human resource development. The overwhelming purpose of the collections of the libraries is to connect the island to the rest of the world. Farid Ahmad Farzam Rahimi, in the paper entitled ‘Towards community empowerment for poverty reduction in rural Afghanistan’, argues that community empowerment is a way of improving the economic conditions of the rural poor in Afghanistan. Most Afghans live in rural areas relying on cultivation of land and maintenance of livestock. In earning their livings through these activities, the rural poor face such challenges as lack of access to the market, inadequate skills, illiteracy, droughts, and lack of finance. The author argues that the fate of these rural masses may be improved by adopting such community empowerment initiatives as encouraging people to participate actively in the design and implementation of agricultural development programs, creating favourable conditions for investment and private sector activities in the agricultural sector, iii creating an atmosphere of mutual trust between the people and the government, creating an effective system of credit, developing markets for agricultural products, and enhancing the access of farmers to improved seeds, fertilizers, and medicine for livestock. Naveen Kolloju, in the paper entitled ‘Poverty reduction through women’s entrepreneurial activities in rural Andhra Pradesh, India’, discusses ways of improving the living conditions of Indian rural women through entrepreneurial activities. India is emerging as an economic power but a large majority, in particular rural women, live in highly disadvantaged conditions. They confront several challenges in their attempt to improve their economic conditions. These include: lack of access to institutional/farm credit, lack of innovative approaches for agricultural development, steep increases in the prices of fertilizer, high indebtedness, and imperfect market conditions. Development of institutions to support women to engage in entrepreneurial activities is one of many ways to improve their economic conditions. The author examines the potentials of self-help groups (SHG) and of running various small-scale business ventures by poor women in Andhra Pradesh. In addition, the paper attempts to highlight the major operational challenges in the functioning of SHGs. Lyle De Souza, in the article entitled ‘Canadian nikkei institutions and spaces’, discusses the experiences of Japanese emigrants – Nikkei – and the institutions they have built in Canada that maintain and shape their distinct cultural identity. For example, Powell Street and Nikkei Place function not only as a place of gathering but also help in shaping and extending their cultural identities transnationally across the Asia Pacific region. The author reports that, although the size of the Japanese diaspora is declining, these institutions have expanded their activities. For example, Nikkei Place now performs multiple roles simultaneously in addition to its original purpose of being a cultural centre. Taking the advancements in the electronics sector, the organization has digitised source material on Canadian nikkei history and put it online, making it accessible to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. The author hopes that the negotiation of Canadian nikkei cultural identities would continue with the creation of new websites and social network groups and would adopt wider conceptions of nikkei and pan-Asian cultural identities. Mohammad Muhsen, in his piece entitled ‘Risk factors for depression among 18-45 year old women in Kabul, Afghanistan’, examines the effect of war and other related factors on depression among women.