Sanrizuka–Shibayama Community refers to the long-standing autonomous resistance of farming communities in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, against the construction and expansion of Narita International Airport. The community has sustained collective territorial governance through assemblies, shared land defense, and self-organization.
| Creation date | 1966 |
|---|---|
| Topics | Democracy, Land Use, Commons |
| Context | Rural |
| Typology | Community Organizing |
| Languages | Japanese |
| Thematics | Radical Democracy |
The Sanrizuka–Shibayama struggle began in the 1960s when farming communities organized collectively to oppose the expropriation of their land for the construction of Narita Airport. Villagers formed autonomous assemblies and alliances to defend communal land and decision-making authority.
Governance within the movement has been based on collective deliberation, shared responsibility, and direct action. Decisions regarding land defense, negotiations, and resistance strategies are taken through assemblies rather than delegated leadership, preserving community sovereignty over the territory.
More than five decades later, parts of the community remain active, with land still collectively defended and assemblies continuing to function. Sanrizuka represents one of the longest-running examples of autonomous territorial democracy in a highly centralized state.