The Structure of Functional Regions and Change in Structure on the Basis of Volume of Telephone Calls in the Kinki District
1980 Volume 32 Issue 6 Pages 518-529
Details
1980 Volume 32 Issue 6 Pages 518-529
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the urban system in the Kinki district and its tendency of change from the viewpoint of the structure of functional regions and the change of accessibility.
Firstly, factor analysis is applied to the OD matrix of telephone calls in 1969 and 1977. The matrix consists of 56×56 elements which are the sums of calls from one area to another. As a result of this analysis fifteen functional regions can be identified in 1969 and fourteen in 1977. But a few differences between the spheres of functional regions in each year can be found.
Secondly, the hierarchical linkage systems are analyzed by the application of the Graph Theory Method to the same data matrices. In 1969 two hierarchical orders can be pointed out, but in 1977 three orders. The centralities of regional centers such as Otsu, Kobe, Nara, Yamatotakada, and Wakayama, tend to increase, and of regional centers such as Himeji, Kyoto and Toyooka to keep their high level. On the other hand, that of Osaka is lowering relatively. Functional regions which are classified into nodal regions tend to increase in number at present. The reasons for these tendencies are supposed as follows.
Many inhabitants are moving from the center of Osaka to satellite cities and therefore enterprises such as shopping centers, banks, etc, extend their business to these cities. Regional centers are also developing according to the inflow of people and enterprises. Thus the accessibiliy of satellite cities and regional centers seems to be increasing and that of Osaka decreasing relatively.
Thirdly, the accessiblity of each area is indicated by the potential of population and computed from the number of enterprises' workers there.
In all areas the accessibilities are increasing and the average of the rate of increase from 1969 to 1975 is 12.3%. But the rate in Osaka is 5.1% and it is the lowest of all. Therefore the accessibility of Osaka can be interpreted to have decreased relatively.
By the three analyses mentioned above, the structure of functional regions is shifting from one in which each region is subordinated to Osaka, to one in which each region is subordinated to a regional center and it to Osaka because regional centers have developed remarkably.
