The role of women’s empowerment in sustainable community development: a case study of the zero-waste policy in Kamikatsu Town, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, Mako Inoue

Mako Inoue
Ph.D Student
Graduate School of Policy and Management, Doshisha University
Kyoto
Japan

Purpose: This study adopts a gender perspective to re-examine sustainable community development in Kamikatsu Town, centered on its Zero-Waste policy. It explores how women’s empowerment, fostered through the 1986 "Leaf Business," influenced resident-led discussions and environmental governance, contributing to long-term sustainability.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This study uses a logic model to examine major initiatives—including the Leaf Business, resident-led discussions, and the Zero-Waste policy—across input, activity, output, and outcome stages. Analysis draws on academic literature, administrative documents, and qualitative fieldwork, including stakeholder interviews and on-site observations.
Findings: Women’s empowerment extends beyond income generation and household decision-making, forming a social foundation for active community participation. This accumulation facilitated the institutionalization of Zero-Waste practices and generated broader impacts, such as learning-based tourism, new business establishment, and in-migration.
Originality/Value: This study positions women’s empowerment as a core element of sustainability transitions, providing transferable insights for other regions pursuing sustainable development.
Keyword: Women’s Empowerment; Sustainable Community Development; Zero-Waste Policy; Kamikatsu Town, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan; Gender.