How has the distribution of the population in local cities been changing over time according to the frequency of railways and tramways?

Abstract

This paper describes how motorization has become widespread in local cities in Japan. Therefore, city functions and residents have been dispersed to suburbs and daily life has become difficult without private cars. Recently, the concept of a compact city has been attracting attention. It is said that one of the most important keys to realizing a compact city is to develop very convenient public transportation. However, in local cities in Japan, although there are public transportation networks, they are not effectively used because service frequency is very low. This research analyzed the present distributions of populations around stations and how they have changed over time by the levels of service frequencies of railways and tramways in all local cities in Japan. More specifically, at first, the transportation frequencies over railways and tramways and changes in the distribution of population of all local cities in Japan over time were investigated. Then the paper describes how the degree of service frequencies of stations in the public transport system, railways and tramways, and their affect on the present distribution of the population around the stations and their changes over time were analyzed.