2003 Volume 49 Issue 5 Pages 429-444
The purpose of this paper has been to re-examine the position of "theory" in the Chiiki-kozo-ron (regional structure theory of national economy) in the light of the historical development of Japan Association of Economic Geographers and advance some propositions that may lead to a new theoretical perspective for economic geography. It has been argued that a local community perspective in the traditional approach bear little relationship to the character of national economic development and more specifically do not focus on the crucial elements that will enable us to understand that geographical dynamics. A theory of economic geography should clearly focus on the critical factors of the regional structure's dynamics. Chiiki-kozo-kenkyu-kai (study group of regional structure) 's research had convinced the crucial importance of the national economic perspective in new "theory" of economic geography. As the result, empirical studies of regional structure of Japanese economy were always directed toward attempting to understand how the regional structure had been generated and how it had been changed. While economic geographer concerned with a national economic perspective sometimes point out the implications of their analysis for a local community perspective, they have not followed up these discrete observations with any systematic analysis. In this paper we deal with theoretical perspective of economic geography. The major propositions that emerge from this paper are: 1. Economic geographers should notice that economics and geography have contrastive character. Economics are premised on "spatial uniformity." Geography is concerned about "diversity" in the world. 2. Economic geographer think that "theory" naturally explains "diversity" in the world. But, it is impossible, for "theory" is related only to general phenomena. 3. In order to use "theory" as a base and to explain "diversity" in the world, the "passage" which connect reality and "theory" is required. The "passage" is location factor and conditions which are traditional conceptual equipment. It is necessary to build the empirical theory incorporating such a "passage".
