Changes in Proximity to Food Retailers under Compact City Policies

A Case Study in Toyama City

Abstract

The impact of the promotion of the Compact City Policies on residents’ physical access to food retail stores is not fully examined. By taking Toyama City as a case study, this paper aims to identify the longitudinal changes in supermarket proximity among residents, including those with socio-economic vulnerabilities. The road distance analyses revealed that from 2010 to 2021, there was a citywide increase in the distance to the closest supermarkets, and it was observed especially among the elderly population and public housing residents. Notably, the increase was observed even in the Residence Attraction Areas where local facilities should be adequately provided. Moreover, the findings show that the decrease in proximity was mainly caused by the changes in supermarket spatial distribution.