ABSTRACT
The spatial distribution of industrial production, on the other hand, largely followed pre-war patterns. Yamaguchi (1984: 264) argues that the four major industrial zones of Tokyo-Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka-Kobe and Northern Kyushu were well established before the Second World War, as were the six metropolises of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Kobe and Yokohama. Murata has shown convincingly how significant was the
Table 5.1 Share of manufacturing output, Japanese regions and Pacific Belt, 1909-80 (% of national output)
Area (% of Japan) 1909 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980
Hokkaido 22 1 3 3 3 4 3 2 2 Tohoku 21 4 4 4 4 6 5 5 6 Hokuriku 3 4 3 3 3 4 2 2 2 Chugoku 8 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 8 Shikoku 5 3 3 3 2 4 2 3 3 Kyushu 11 6 8 8 11 9 7 5 6 Tokyo MAa 4 18 20 21 29 22 28 30 27 Nagoya MAb 6 11 10 11 10 11 12 13 13 Osaka MAc 5 35 33 31 25 23 23 20 17 Three MAs 14 64 62 62 63 56 64 63 56 Pacific Beltd 23 73 74 74 78 72 78 76 71 Kanto, Kinki, and Chubu,
outside the MAse 14 14 12 12 9 11 11 13 16
Tokyo’s share increases from 18 per cent to 29 per cent, while Osaka’s share decreases from 35 per cent to 25 per cent. To a great extent that shift can be attributed to the increasing importance of military procurement in manufacturing output, much of which was concentrated in the Tokyo area. At the same time, Osaka’s important textile industry was greatly hurt by wartime blockades of raw materials and markets and conversions of plant to war use. Second, between 1940 and 1950 the share of the metropolitan areas and particularly that of Tokyo decreased sharply, while all other regions gained share. That shift can be attributed largely to the fact that the destruction of industry by wartime bombing was greatest in the metropolitan areas. Third, the period from 1950 to 1960 sees a sharp reconcentration in the Pacific Belt area during the first phase of the rapid economic growth period. After 1960, however, the share of the Pacific Belt decreases, particularly because of the declining share of Osaka, while peripheral regions such as Tohoku, Chugoku and Kyushu see an increase in share. Finally, while in 1909 the share of output of the prefectures close to the three metropolitan areas (i.e., the balance of Kanto, Kinki and Chubu regions) corresponded exactly to their 14 per cent share of national area, they lost share steadily up to 1940, when they collectively were responsible for 9 per cent of national manufacturing output. During the rapid growth period their share increased from 11 per cent in 1950 to 13 per cent in 1970, and between 1970 and 1980 they saw a rapid increase to 16 per cent of the total. This increase in share reflects the expansion of manufacturing industry into areas adjacent to the metropolitan areas, close to their important markets.
