LOCATIONAL PROBLEMS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN PERIPHERAL AREAS

Abstract

The topic for this symposium first carves to mind because this particular convention of the Association of Japanese Geographers was held in Hokkaido, an area in Japan which is considered peripheral. The concept underlying the term “periphery” is multidimensional; there are peripheral areas in territories on a national scale in contrast with peripheral areas of care areas ; there are marginal productive areas in the economic sense such as the mountainous areas of a country, developing or dependent countries versus metropolitan or developed countries on a worldwide scale, and so on. The symposium aimed at not only presenting the multifaceted nature of the periphery concept but also at discovering characteristics common to peripheral areas of various kinds and dimensions and the peculiarities of changing dimensions in the periphery concept. The location of socio-economic activities in peripheral areas cannot be interpreted in terms of abstract economic theories but must be analysed in the context of historical dominancy/dependency relationships, segmentation/integration processes, and the political dynamics of the relationships between centralisation and regional autonomy. The problems concerned require new approaches in geographical studies and, in this sense, the organizers' intent was that the discussions contribute to the progress of methodology in contemporary geography. The paper session and the general discussion were presided over by Y. Okuda (Chuo Univ.) and K. Takeuchi (Hitotsubashi Univ.). Before the general discussion, the following seven papers and three commentaries were read: Y. Fuaita (Aiichi Univ.): Characteristics of mountain villages as peripheral areas and some important themes of studies on this subject H. Sakamoto (tiara Univ.): Agricultural location in the peripheral areas, focussing mainly on cases in Hokkaido K. Yamashita (Hokkaido Univ. of Education): Public investments in the agricultural sector in Hokkaido M. Miyagi (Ryukyu Univ.): Excessive imbalances in the location of administrative functions concerning maritime and air traffic and meteorological observation in periphe-ral areas in Hokkaido and Okinawa T. Ishihara (Okayama Univ.): Regional policies in France, with special emphasis on the case of Brittany H. Kurihara (Ochanomizu Univ.): he-examination of the “periphery” concept in the case of Spain M. Koga (Hitotsubashi Univ.): Locational problems in the peripheral areas of developing countries K. Ito (Keio Univ.) : Commentary on industrial development in the peripheral areas of Japan, in relation with regional policies F. Mizuoka (Hitotsubashi Univ.) Commentary on the periphery as an internal colony F. Yamaguchi (Hosei Univ.): Commentary on the emergence and relevancy of regional problems pertaining to peripheral areas The general discussion which was very animated was focussed mainly on the following four points: 1. The conceptual distinction of “periphery” of various kinds and dimensions and the transcendental meaning of the concept, granting that said meaning exists. In this connection, the difference between the terms “periphery”, “frontier”, and “border” was also discussed. 2. Problems concerning the articulation of economic aspects with socio-cultural aspects in geography. 3. The mechanism of reproduction/persistency of the centre-periphery relationship. 4. Measures for overcoming the peripheral character. In tEis connection, questions concerning actual regional policies in Japan and the regionalist movement were discussed.