Geographical distribution of internal migrants in the Tokyo ward area

Abstract

This study examined residential distributions of internal migrants in the Tokyo ward area, using data on origins ( prefectures outside Tokyo) and destinations (23 wards) in the Basic Resident Registers in the late 1960s and the early 2010s. Analyses of the number of inmigrants per square kilometer, location quotients and two other indices showed differences in destination choices between migrants from Tohoku/Northern Kanto and those from Western Japan. The analyses also found high concentrations of migrants from three adjacent prefectures (Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa) in wards along/near the administrative boundaries between Tokyo and each prefecture. These characteristics were observed during both periods. However, except for groups coming from the three adjacent prefectures, the majority of groups by origin exhibited more similar destination patterns in the early 2010s, thus indicating a recent general reduction in disparities in geographical distribution by origin.