紀要論文

The Ideology behind the Recent　Discussions on Regional Disparity in Japan : What matters?

eng

00229741

https://doi.org/10.15002/00007700

法政大学経済学部学会

79

1

363

397

2011-03-30

Version of Record

The purpose of this paper is to reconsider the ideology behind the recent discussions on regional disparity in Japan. Regional disparity within this country is often measured using the Gini coefficient and other similar indicators to compare the 47 prefectural regions on the basis of GDP per capita. According to this indicator, it is clear that regional disparity dramatically decreased from the beginning of the 1960s through the 1970s and its degree at the beginning of the 21st century is much smaller than in the 1960s. However, there have been always localities which suffer from a shortage of employment opportunities and from a lack or shortage of public services. Economic and social disparity has continued to exist between the core and peripheries. Reduction of regional disparity measured by an aggregated indicator means no more than a decrease in the area of peripheries through the spatial growth of the core, sub-centers and secondary sub-centers. Economists oriented toward neoliberalism do not recognize this spatial dynamics between regional and local economies and tend to discuss the issue from the viewpoint of individualism. However, because of the existence of a variety of economic activities and inhabitants, a region or a locality cannot be compared with an individual, even if the area of a region or a locality is small. When we discuss regional disparity and its resolution, we should take into account the public space which is to be constructed through interactions among various actors, including inhabitants, business corporations, NPOs, and local and central governments. Regions and localities should not be treated as if they were individuals.

Article

AN00071028