Regional Development of Big-Stores in Japan : With Special Reference to the Competition of Capitals

Abstract

The remarkable growth of super-markets in the last quarter century has brought the great revolution of retail trade in Japan. The growth of super-markets has been accomplished with the increasing number of their chain stores. As a result, the competition among big stores themselves, as well as between big stores and retail stores, has become keen. Is it true that the large-central capital is always stronger than the local capital, as it is generally believed? The purpose of this study is to reveal the competition among big stores in Japan. For this purpose, the writer analysed the type of capital competition in each city which has big stores with over an area of 3,000 square meters. The results are as follows: l. The type of capital-competition in local areas is completely different from that in central parts of Japan which are so called "Three Biggest City Areas". That is, in local areas central capitals compete with local capitals, while in central parts of Japan central capitals compete among themselves. 2. In local areas, the big stores of large central capital are not always stronger than the local capital. In some regions and cities the case is opposite. The impact of large central capitals getting into a local city is mainly related to the city size. In most areas, Iocal capitals are equally competing with central capitals in the cities with more than 200,000 population. In local cities, there remain strong traditional shopping customs, which local capital know well. 3. In the local cities with old department stores of reputation, and medium size super-markets with a lot of branch stores around, Iocal capitals have stronger power. In almost all cities in Kyushu, the local capitals have stronger power than the large central capitals. The setting-up of stores in small cities, by large-central-capital has been mainly restricted to where there are not big stores by local capitals. As a result, small cities especially with less than 100,000 population have come to be classified into the following two types; central capital type and local capital type. Conversely, in the cities near a metroplitan area, large central capitals have stronger power. 4. In the central part of Japan, few local capitals try to push into. Therefore the competition of capitals is going on among "Three Biggest Metropolitan Areas". In the cities with over 200,000 population, the competition of capitals has complex aspects. In the cities smaller than these, there is only one capital. 5. Although a little differenses are recognizes in the respective areas, among the "Three Biggest Metropolitan Areas". Chukyo Metropolitan Area has the most number of capitals coming from the other two areas, and Hanshin Metropolitan Area has a few capitals from the others.