Metropolitan suburbs were developed rapidly in the 1960's and 70's and the first generation having started to live there was born in mainly the 1930's and 40's. They are referred as the "demographic transition generation" with the particular characteristics to have a lot of siblings. They were raised in the norm of stem family system in rural society and the "potential life-time out-migrants" except heirs and their spouses actually migrated to metropolitan region in large number against the background of the rapid economic growth. Those who came to metropolitan region formed nuclear family with two children in the suburb were internalized the norm of parent-child co-residence that could not be realized and the norm of patriarchalism that remained in the behavior of the family head having role of importing necessary resources. But the family head that was an employee and commuting to the office became dependent on outside the community for those resources, therefore the relationship between the family and community weakened. Suburban community consisted of two groups of residents, the old one based on rural community and the new comer. The both tended to seek problem solution from expert system of municipality and failed to enhance their ability for solution based on community relationship. It can not be forgotten that full-time housewife in a "labor of love" made the dependence on expert system possible. However, the family of the first generation has been changing since 1990's with leaving home of children. Those at the forefront of the generation are currently entering the latter stage of old age and with the death of spouses are transitioning to living alone. In the situation of dependence on (strong) expert system and inadequate community network and family support, it is critically important to develop the "weak expert system" that empowers persons concerned to solve the problems through mutual independent support.

The 21st century center of excellence program "Policy innovation initiative: human security research in Japan and Asia"