Sustainable Development of Cities and Creative Classes in Japan:Focus on Tolerance and Diversity

Abstract

　　In recent years, various numbers of empirical studies based on the theory of creative class （CC） have been conducted around the world.　However, the research on the mechanism of CCs’ residential distribution and its impacts on regional economic growth in Japanese major cities is scarce, especially from the viewpoints of culture diversity and gender disparity.

　　The purpose of this study is to clarify the gender inequality in the CCs and the impacts of culture diversity on the economic growth of the cities in Japan using official statistical data.　Specifically, in order to reach our purpose, structural equation modeling （SEM） analysis is introduced in the paper through constructing the indicators of amenity, tolerance, and job opportunity in addition with gender inequality.　The following three hypotheses are set for verification.　First, amenity, employment and tolerance affect the residential distribution of the CCs （H1）.　Secondly, the high ratio of the CCs promotes sustainable development of the region （H2）.　Thirdly, the gender gap in the CCs have a negative impact on the sustainable development of the region （H3）.

　　The above mentioned hypotheses are verified （H1 and H3 are partially verified and H2 is verified） in the paper.　In addition, policy implication drawn from the research suggested that the direction of urbanization shifting from the employment-driven to a sustainable development linked with a sufficient supply of amenity is required in Japanese cities based on the analytical results. Furthermore, policy innovation that includes social innovation through enhancement of tolerance including the acceptance of cultural diversity is called for, due to the gender gap of creative class in Japan has become obstacles for the sustainable development of cities.

JEL Classifications:R1, J1