Hollowing out of Japan's interior

The hollowing out of Japan's interior has been a slow and steady process. Over the past ten years, Greater Tokyo/Yokohama has consolidated political, economic and social power to a greater degree and now provides a home to roughly of fourth of the population. Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe continues to be the great metropolis of west Japan, despite a stagnant and stuck economy. In addition, with continued improvements in transportation, such as the bullet train, regional economies are aggregating among four centers, Sapporo in Hokkaido, Sendai and Nagoya, and Fukuoka in Kyushu. Together, these six metropolises represent a majority of the population and an even greater proportion of gross national product.

I would like to highlight one reason for this trend: the need to maintain economic competitiveness both domestically and internationally. Therefore, regional economies have fought for relevance by concentrating around one city that is blessed with good transport connections. The losers are both the rural areas and second-tier cities. For example, Sapporo is the focal point of Hokkaido, while smaller cities such as Asahikawa, Otaru, and Hakodate struggle. Sapporo provides the main international airport in Hokkaido, so while Sapporo (Chitose Airport) and Hakodate are roughly equidistant from the ski slopes of Niseko, traffic (ie tour groups) exclusively land at Chitose Airport.

It seems a foregone conclusion that these six cities have emerged as the survivors of modern Japan. Other cities may maintain a manufacturing base which is difficult to move (ie Kokura in Kyushu or Hiroshima), but by and large the die has been cast and capital investment over the past ten years has concentrated among these six. Even though the bullet train has been extended to Hachinohe in Aomori prefecture, businesses and capital have congregated in Sendai, from which businessmen can take an easy day trip to visit clients in Aomori. This is illustrated by Mori Trust's massive 37-floor multi-use development coming to completion.

Perhaps this hollowing out has spurred the tremendous interest in an otaku sub-culture of haikyo (廃虚) "ruins", which entails visits to buildings and other man-made projects long forgotten and abandoned.