The purpose of this paper is to consider the characteristics of functional distance derived from Markov chain model. So far functional distance has been used as one of the tools for regionalization, but its properties as a distance have not been discussed enough. The author uses inter-prefectual migration data in Japan to obtain the distance referring to existing literatures. Before proceeding the analysis, we review the mathematical premises of Markov model and their implications for geographical study. These are 1) consideration of both direct and indirect flows, 2) relative amount of such flows and 3) non-reflectivity. Under such constraints, we should apply functional distance approach.
As a result, Japanese inter-prectual functional distance is revealed to have following features. First, each prefecture's functional distance, as compared each other regarding origin or row, has quite similar pattern, which implies that Japan as a whole consists of only one system and has no subsystems. Secondly, east-and west-Japan information regions are identified. The two regions are situated on opposite poles on common dimension in terms of principal component.