著者

大島 操

出版者

熊本大学

雑誌

熊本大学社会文化研究

巻号頁・発行日

vol.12, pp.111-127, 2014-03-25

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In our aging society, it is important to think over the relationship between elderly people and their families. Elderly people often say, "I don't want to cause my family 'meiwaku'." In this paper, I will discuss what they mean by the expression of "meiwaku" as well as the definition of the term, "meiwaku". According to a current Japanese dictionary, "meiwaku" means an annoying situation that is caused by others' behavior or problems. Although much researchhas been done on social "meiwaku" or "meiwaku"(NIMBY) facilities, "meiwaku" in those cases is considered as repellence, precaution or eviction request. "Interdependence" will become more and more important as our society with fewer children is aging more and more quickly every year. We need to try to find solutions in which nobody feels that she/he is causing others "meiwaku" or that she/he is "meiwaku" for others.