This paper analyzes the locational adjustment and industrial agglomerations of the shipbuilding industry. The shipbuilding industry is originally international and influenced by business fluctuations. Therefore, it has adjusted its location and changed the dynamics between the production bases and the regional economy in response to a competitive environment. Due to international competition, large enterprises cut the shipbuilding sector in metropolitan and the Seto Inland Sea areas, and converted to other sectors. Some small and medium enterprises in Osaka closed their factories and constructed new ones in the northern part of Kyushu and the Seto Inland Sea area. On the other hand, small and medium enterprises based in the Seto Inland Sea remained in place and continued their shipbuilding activity. Consequently, the production of small and medium enterprises on the Seto Inland Sea has significantly increased. The center of the shipbuilding industry was shifted from large enterprises to small and medium ones, and from the metropolis to the Seto Inland Sea area. Linked to the movement of the shipbuilding, the ship machinery industry was also shifted to the Seto Inland Sea from metropolitan area. However, influenced by locational inertia, only ship machinery makers in the Hanshin area still remained in place and highly agglomerated. The central activity of small and medium shipbuilding enterprises on Seto Inland Sea takes place in Imabari City. Imabari has original and multiple industrial agglomerations, composed of the headquarters of small and medium shipbuilding enterprises, small ship machinery enterprises, small ship owners, trading companies, educational institutions, administration, classification societies, etc. The actors of the agglomerations are closely united with each other through perpetual face-to-face interactions. They comprise a unique organization, "Mujin-no-kai", which coordinates their respective interests. Belonging to it ensures access to informal information unavailable elsewhere. In these agglomerations, Imabari-Zosen has built horizontal relationships with fixed partners. In return for it, ship machinery enterprises conventionally accept repair services from Imabari-Zosen after the expiration of warranty term. From the above, it can be said that the actors of Imabari agglomerations are interdependent. By contrast, the actors of former shipbuilding cities on the Seto Inland Sea used to be built on vertical intercorporate relationships. In these cities, large shipbuilding enterprises ranking the highest position would use other companies as subcontractors. Horizontal relationships among these agglomerations give Imabari a competitive edge when receiving orders of shipbuilding, allowing small and medium shipbuilding enterprises on Seto Inland Sea to continue their activities, and leading to the increased productivity of the Japanese shipbuilding industry.

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In recent years, the progress of genuine products and the diversification of consumption have resulted in increasing attention toward regional brands and local brand creation. A regional brand is built to promote the maintenance and development of industrial regions. However, in recent years, local industry research has been both declining and insufficient, and the effect of the regional brand remains ambiguous. This paper examines the towel-making industry in the Imabari region, Ehime prefecture, which has been actively working to create a regional brand since the early 2000s. The author examines whether a regional brand results in the market superiority, and whether it could be a contributing factor to the maintenance of industrial regions. To break away from the wholesale-dependent structure that compels enterprises to handle licensed production, enterprises in the Imabari region created a regional brand. Investigation of Imabari region points to the success of the regional brand movement in terms of heightened consumer recognition in addition to reduced dependency on wholesalers, expansion and diversification of distribution channels, and establishment of regular consumers. The Imabari region has witnessed production changes, such as the overseas transfer of manufacturing, the integration of production, restructuring in the division of labor, and the application of both training programs and technical internship training programs for foreigners, since the 1980s. These production changes have improved quality and reduced production costs of the region, relating closely to the creation of the regional brand movement. However, strategies of some enterprises go against the properties of the regional brand. Consequently, the regional brand does not work evenly across all enterprises.

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Food trade is expanding with globalization and Japan is a major importer. This paper investigates how Japan's food import policy affected Australian agricultural practice. Following Japan's beef trade liberalization in 1991, beef exports from Australia to Japan rose facilitating recovery and expansion of beef and cattle production, which were in decline. This accelerated with increasing production of grain-fed beef and the number of feedlots grew, mainly in 3 states of eastern Australia. Producing grain-fed beef also contributed to increased production of feed-grain and the rearing of particular types of cattle suitable for the production of marbled beef. This trend favored New South Wales (NSW) whose climate is suitable for cultivating these crops and rearing these cattle, especially British types. However, in the second half of the 1990s, beef demand in Japan stagnated. Consumers increasingly preferred lower-priced beef requiring the import of low-quality grass-fed beef instead. NSW producers looked to the Korean and Australian domestic markets to sell their grain-fed beef but demand for high marbled beef was low outside Japan. The benefits to NSW declined and there was a shift in location and type of production. To meet changing Japanese demand, more feedlot cattle were produced in south-west Queensland (QLD) which is associated with the tropical originated cattle for short-fed beef. Demand for pastureland cattle from QLD also grew in this period as grass-fed beef exports to the U.S. recovered. So abattoirs increasingly located in south-west QLD near Brisbane City, one of the top 3 Australian trading ports. Although the influence of Japanese beef imports on Australia has rapidly reduced since late 1990s, knowhow on the management of feedlots and development of cattle type, are benefits that have helped Australia become an advanced beef export country who can meet various demands. Recently, grain-fed beef is increasingly recognized by Australian consumers as a premium menu item. These are proud heritages of the Japanese market and trading companies.

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This study examined childcare choice among white-color and double-income families with young children living in Tokyo bay area, focusing on Toyosu area as a case study, where large-scale development has occurred and demand for childcare facilities are increased. Our research consisted of a questionnaire survey and interviews of working mothers. Many of them face a severe shortage of publicly licensed daycare centers and, during their waiting period, use unlicensed daycares which cost more expensive generally than publicly daycare. According to interview, some families expected good childcare environment including supply of daycare before moving into Toyosu, but they faced a shortage of publicly licensed daycare and had to avail their childcare leave for a period shorter than to what they are entitled and used unlicensed daycare centers with expensive fee. One reason is that it is difficult for them to daily childcare support from their relatives such as children's grandparents because they live in long distance. The other reason is childcare system of licensed daycare centers, in which families using unlicensed facilities are given higher priorities for approval of licensed daycare. Therefore, unlicensed daycare centers not only have important roles for working mothers to keep working during waiting period but also are used as a strategy to ensure a seat at publicly licensed daycare centers. In conclusion, living in Toyosu makes it possible for double-income families to commute short distances and makes it easier for working mothers to balance work and home. However, the shortage of publicly licensed daycare centers causes a dysfunction with companies' childcare support, such as shortening childcare leave because of excessive competition for access to licensed daycare centers.

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[in Japanese]

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