Time-series analysis on the population centralization of local cities

A case study of Hokkaido

Abstract

This research intends to evaluate the population distribution change of local cities in Hokkaido by calculating the population potential of the central place. The greater part of cities excluding Sapporo area weakened their population pressure of central places. However, especially aged people tended to centralize to the central places in the area of which highly decreased its population. This observation supposes to play a role of considering the direction of future regional planning in the population decreasing era.