A Critical Review of Recent Urban Social Geography in Japan

Abstract

This article aims to explore the progress and the agenda of urban social geography in Japan. Urban geography in Japan has a long history, but studies of cities from social aspects have increased in earnest, rather recently. One factor is that Japanese geographers have been attracted mainly by changing patterns of the urban landscape and its economic functions. However, recent decades have seen a diversification of themes of research from gentrification, socio-political movements and social stratification, community restructuring with demographic changes, life-world of ethnic minorities to gender matters. The future agenda of urban social geography in Japan would be to deepen the research contents and to explore new frontiers along with theoretical advancement.