This study proposes a method to understand the time-series and micro-scale impact of the COVID-19 on local economies throughout Japan by using geospatial big data that shows the distribution of people based on cell phone movement trajectory (Mobile big data). Analysis of COVID-19's impacts on local economies has already been conducted at macro scales, such as national and regional units. However, a spatiotemporally detailed analysis of when and to what extent consumption increases or decreases at the micro scale, such as in a certain tourist area or downtown area, and what type of industry it is, has not yet been realized. Therefore, in this study, by combining mobile big data and various existing statistics, we developed a database that can estimate monthly estimated consumption in the retail, restaurant, and lodging industries on a regional mesh basis before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The reliability of our data was verified by comparing it with the number of establishments obtained from digital telephone directories, and we found that the estimated consumption in all industries was reliable to a certain degree. Analysis of the data showed that the first wave had a more pronounced impact nationwide than the second wave, particularly on the lodging industry. It also showed that while the “Go To Travel campaign” (encouragement campaign of domestic travel by Japanese government) was effective in restoring the retail sector to 2019 levels during that period, it did not achieve a sufficient recovery in the lodging sector. Furthermore, it was clear that the above results varied widely by region, and even at the micro scale, such as in specific downtown areas or tourist destinations, the differences were very large.

    In recent years, so-called “digital platforms” and their algorithms have transcended national borders and space to conduct monopolistic digital business. This is “domination” by digital platforms. The author reviews studies on digital platforms and conducts a case study on the tourism economy to provide a spatial mechanism of “domination” by digital platforms.
    User companies use digital platforms when making rational business decisions in a local geographic space. They also provide some of their data, capital, and power to digital platforms in pursuit of profit. Digital platforms transcend space and have a tremendous influence through their mass accumulation of these individually minute resources from various spaces. However, international public opinion and international politics are concerned about them, and many governments are increasing their regulatory policies toward digital platforms to protect their domestic economies. As a result, competition among digital platforms is intensifying. Digital platforms are unstable entities that depend on investment from international financial markets. Therefore, to maintain international financial investment and to survive in business, while responding to policy regulations at the same time, they are further increasing their “dominance” over their users. The “domination” of digital platforms is understood as a spatial interaction between the spatially transcendent digital platforms and international financial markets, on the one hand, and the local geographic context of governments and user firms on the other. For the sustainable development of the digital society, more attention should be paid to international financial markets and international politics surrounding digital platforms.

    Telework, which has become increasingly common owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, has brought about changes in work styles and organizations. If it takes root, it will allow individuals to move and locate offices more freely than before, as they will not be bound to a specific place of work. This study aims to clarify the impact of new work styles in the digital age, such as telework, on office locations in peripheral areas. This study focused on examples of creative industries with a high affinity for teleworking, such as Information Technology (IT) and content companies in Kochi Prefecture and examined their location and trends in attracting human resources in relation to work styles.
    First, trends in the diffusion of teleworking and side jobs as a new work style were examined. In metropolitan areas, where the spread of COVID-19 was significant, the number of companies introducing telework increased, and the number of teleworkers increased significantly compared with other areas. By industry, the percentage of teleworkers in the total number of employees was higher in industries requiring creative skills, such as the information and telecommunications and the professional and technical services industries. An analysis of the trend of side jobs by income revealed that the percentage of side jobs increased in the higher-income groups.
    Next, the results of a questionnaire and interview survey of IT and content companies in Kochi Prefecture revealed the following: While companies in Kochi Prefecture seek creative human resources, they are not satisfied with the quality of such human resources. Many companies which introduced teleworking after COVID-19, however, did not intend to recruit creative workers through teleworking. This is because although they expected telework to be a means of recruiting creative workers, which were in short supply in this area, it was difficult to achieve this goal. However, there has been some movement to seek creative human resources in urban areas through side work employment. There is a high demand for workers with skills in sales planning and new business planning, who tend to be concentrated in large metropolitan areas. The new work style of combining side jobs and telework that has spread in the digital age has enabled creative workers living in metropolitan areas to use their spare time. Thus, the use of IT to overcome spatial distance by those who are allowed to flexibly manage their working hours has realized the spatial transfer of specialized knowledge and know-how concentrated in urban areas to rural areas. This can also the sharing of such knowledge and know-how with rural areas. The fact that this case was found in Kochi Prefecture indicates the possibility that even companies located in peripheral areas can upgrade their business management and Research and Development (R&D) functions.
    If digital technology makes it possible to provide and share specialized know-how on business management and business development from metropolitan areas to peripheral areas, local companies may be able to upgrade their own functions, such as business management and business development, through new business development and the creation of new customers and suppliers. Therefore, it is important for satellite offices and companies located in peripheral areas to utilize digital platforms to receive specialized know-how of management strategy-type creative workers in metropolitan areas to enhance their management, sales, and technological capabilities. In this study, from the perspective of office functions located in peripheral areas, building relationships with metropolitan areas through teleworking and side jobs offers new possibilities for rural companies, as mentioned above, to create new value and enhance their business management and R&D functions.