Structural Changes of Urban Systems in Japan

本研究的目的是阐明日本国家、地区和日常城市系统中各级别城市的近期变化。从日本的人口变动和城市迁移的角度来看，虽然没有揭示其原因，但不能认识到西方国家在20世纪70年代出现的逆城市化现象。1985年以后和以前一样，人口和高级城市功能向东京都市圈的集中也仍在继续。城市等级越来越高。在三大都市圈中，东京都市圈的排序较高。特别是在商务服务功能方面，城市规模的差距更加明显。在对东北地区和北海道的分支办事处分布的研究中，可以肯定的是，仙台和札幌正在加强其作为基于分支办事处聚集的地区首府的地位。与此同时，各道府县首府与仙台的联系也因仙台总公司的分支办事处的推进而更加紧密。城市体系的结构变化也表现为非大都市区通勤区的扩展和重叠。因此，在广岛市附近也可以看到山村的巨大变化。产业结构的调整反映在大都市的区域结构上。在名古屋，城市结构的新趋势已明显显现。在大坂都市圈，人们注意到郊区的新节点正在独立于中心城市发展。

The aim of this study is to clarify the recent changes of cities of each order in national, regional and daily urban systems of Japan. The counterurbanization which occurred in the 1970's in Western countries cannot be recognized in Japan by analyzing the population changes and migration of cities, although the causes are not brought light. The concentration of population and urban functions of higher order to Tokyo metropolitan area also continues still after 1985 as well as the previous period. The urban hierarchy is more and more developing. And the order of Tokyo metropolitan area becomes higher in three metropolitan areas. Especially in the function of business services the disparity of city size has become more evident. In the studies of the distribution of branch offices in Tohoku district and Hokkaido it was affirmed that Sendai as well as Sapporo are strengthening their position as a regional capital based on the agglomeration of branch offices. At the same time, prefectural capitals become more clothly connected with Sendai by the advance of branch offices from head offices in Sendai. The structural changes of urban systems also are in apperance as the expanding and overlapping commuting areas in nonmetropolitan regions. As a result the great changes of mountain villages can be seen in the vicinity of Hiroshima city as well. The restructuring of industries is reflected in the regional structure of metropolitan cities. In Nagoya the new tendency of urban structure has been found evidently. In Osaka metropolitan area it is noticed that new nodal points in suburban areas are developing independently from the central city.