This paper examines regional patterns of internal migration by age group in Tohoku district, based on previous studies in Kyushu and Hokkaido districts where major regional urban centers are located. The current internal migrations in Tohoku district are characterized by three phenomena: location of major regional urban center Sendai, influence of the great earthquake in Higashi-Nihon and a breakdown of atomic power station, and the notable decrease of population in Akita and Aomori prefectures.
In Tohoku district Sendai increases its population (2010 to 2015) and expands its tributary area partly beyond its own prefectural area. However, it seems that Sendai is not so active as Fukuoka because it cannot absorb the largest excess out-migrants of main cities in all parts of Tohoku district. As seen in other districts, many municipalities in this district, especially small ones, show population decrease by out-migration of youth (15 to 29 age), although there are municipalities with social increase by in-migration of other age groups (adults, middle aged, early-stage elderly and late-stage elderly) except youth.
In municipalities damaged by earthquake and breakdown of atomic power station in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures many people of all age groups have out-moved to a city. But youth tends to move to large cities in order to find a job or enter a university, though such phenomena are not so remarkable.
Akita city as the top of urban system in Akita prefecture of strongly decreasing population is found to have a tributary area of normal type, so that we cannot recognize somewhat different characters of migration pattern from other cities. But youth in medium-sized and small cities in Akita prefecture prefer to out-migrate more to Sendai than Akita city.
