A Study on Changes of Consumer Behavior and Commercial Environment Using GIS

在全国范围内区域经济结构调整和城市规划框架修订的过程中，如何激活城市中心，从而构建可持续发展的社区已成为一个重大的政策问题。本研究的目的在于把握德岛县瞬息万变的商业环境，并运用地理资讯系统（GIS）分析其多元化的消费者行为。自1998年4月神户至火影忍者之间的本州-四国大桥高速公路开通以来，我们看到从德岛到关西地区的消费者数量显著增加，其中以年轻人最为明显。据商业普查估计，德岛县的年商品销售额（人均）成为日本31个非大都市地区中最低的。(2)由于市场规模小，运输成本高，德岛的大型商业设施很少。直到上世纪90年代末，大型商业综合体才在城郊圈建成，那里有交通便利、地价较低、开发限制较少的优势。随着郊区的发展，德岛市的市中心变得荒芜，一些大型商店关闭。(3)一份关于德岛购物行为的问卷调查结果显示，多达80%的购物者使用汽车。德岛这种以汽车为导向的生活方式扩大了消费者的目的地选择，并促进了更广泛的贸易领域。此外，对人员出行调查数据的分析表明，员工下班后的购物出行模式较为复杂。区域商业环境的变化应该对消费者流动产生进一步的影响。

In the nationwide process of the restructuring of regional economies and the revisions of urban planning framework, it has become a major policy issue how to vitalize the city center and consequently to build a sustainable community. The purpose of this research is to grasp an appropriate perception of the rapidly changing commercial environment in Tokushima Prefecture and to analyze the diversified consumer behavior with the use of Geographical Information System (GIS). (1) Since the opening of the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway between Kobe and Naruto in April 1998, we have seen a remarkable increase in the number of consumers from Tokushima to Kansai Area, most notably younger people. It is estimated from the Census of Commerce that annual sales of goods (per capita) of Tokushima Prefecture became the lowest among the thirty-one non-metropolitan areas in Japan. (2) Due to its small market size and higher transport costs, Tokushima had very few large commerce facilities. It was only as late as in the late-nineties that large commercial complexes were constructed in the suburban ring, where there were advantages of easy accessibility, lower land prices and fewer restrictions on development. With the growth of the suburban area, the city center of Tokushima City became deserted and some large-scale stores were closed. (3) The result of a questionnaire conducted about shopping behaviors in Tokushima shows as many as 80% of shoppers are using a car. This car-oriented lifestyle in Tokushima has broadened consumers' destination options and fostered wider trading areas. Also, analysis of the data gained from Investigation of Person Trip indicates the presence of complicated shopping trip patterns of workers after leaving their office. Changes in a regional commercial environment should be having further influences on consumer flow.