Re-examination on Emptying Phenomenon of Poulation in Central Part of a City

A Case Study of Sendai

Abstract

By means of analysis of the distribution change of urban population in Sendai, the authors propose to the necessity of re-examining the Newling's model (1969) which is connected with the emptying phenomenon in central part of urban region, and they point out that the increase of population in the surroundings of CBD is observed, contrary to expectation.
In Japan, the Clark's model (1951) is generally accepted by many population and urban geographers in the macroscopic view or in relatively small scale of cities, and the Newling's model (1969) is also recognized as a general rule in microscopic view or in relatively large scale. Some geographers studied these models in the case of Sendai and concluded to be applicable to Sendai. The general theory approved as emptying phenomenon concerning with population distribution and its change in and around central part of a city includes the concept that the areas with the highest density of population in urban region shift from its central area to outer zones gradually, and central area with low population density expands its area centrifugally. However, according to their survey of the urban region of Sendai, the change of population distribution does not show the trend mentioned above in the microscopic view, but new areas with high population density and increasing population around CBD appear to be formed. Population have filled up centripetally from inner-wall of former “vomica” with low population density. If this phenomenon has an universal validity in many cases of the world, it may be necessary to modify weightily the Newling's model. Next, they analyse the background for appearance of this phenomenon, and study its meanings in urban geography. The increase of population around CBD means the increase of inhabitants who have moved into apartments of high buildings in this areas. Then, they analyse the land value, the price of dwellings and other factors of demand and supply for location of residence. Concerning the increased demand, they point out the increase of consumers in two categories. The first category is a group of inhabitants who limitted professionally to live in the central part of city, and the second category is a group of inhabitants who preferably choose the dwellings near the central part of the city.