Study on Regional Characteristics and Exchanges Among Regions in Fukuoka Wide Area

Abstract

Abstract:The economy of Japan has been maturing in the beginning of the 21st century. However, the decrease of population, birth rate, and increase of the aging population are proceeding rapidly especially in local cities. As a result, it will become difficult to maintain functions of communities in the future, and it is also forecasted that regional gaps between cities and villages will become large. Being based on regional characteristics, strengthening a wide area in self-sufficiency and exchanges among regions might be called for. This study aims at clarifying the changes of regional characteristics and exchanges among the regions in the Fukuoka wide area, using statistical data and personal trip survey data over the recent decade, paying attention to a new structure of a wide area including cities and villages. As a result, in the Fukuoka wide area, it was made clear that there were six groups which were classified with principal component analysis and cluster analysis, and they have spread concentrically, and become complicated in the recent decade. It might have been influenced by the changes of population distribution and household composition. Moreover, the exchanges among the regions have been broadened in the recent decade. In the Fukuoka wide area, strengthening both self-sufficiency and exchanges among the regions will become important subjects in future.