We conduct an estimation of the soil thickness recovery time after the occurrence of shallow landslides, and elucidate landsliding recurrence period in the area underlain chiefly by the Neogene sedimentary rocks, the Tomiya Hills, north of the Sendai City, Northeast Japan. On the basis of soil genesis in the landslides occurring in 1986 and 1947-1961, and a power series regression by the least absolute value estimation, the recovery time is inferred to be approximately 100 to 250 years. While, from the rainfall records of the 4 meteorological stations in the vicinity of the investigated area, a wide range of values, from around 100 years to more than 1, 000 years, can be calculated for the return period of the maximum 24-hour rainfall of the 1986 event, which triggered about 2, 000 landslides or more. The occurrence of heavy rainfall, however, is essentially dominated by stochastic and random processes;thus consequently, the recollapse at the same locality on slopes, is more strongly dependent on the soil thickness recovery, which can generally be regarded as a time-series phenomenon. It is, therefore, appropriate to understand the recurrence period of shallow landslides based mainly on the recovery time.

　　The purpose of this paper is to clarify the forms of enterprises in the pharmaceutical industry in Nara Prefecture.

　　The pharmaceutical industry in Nara Prefecture originated from the production of “placement medicine,” which was established as a local industry. Placement medicines are sold under a system in which distributors place medicines in households and customers pay for the used medicines later. However, the production of placement medicines has decreased, and only a few enterprises specialize in their production. On the other hand, some enterprises have diversified into products such as over-the-counter drugs, quasi-drugs, and health foods. In addition, enterprises mainly engaged in contract production for major pharmaceutical companies or drugstores have also emerged. These enterprises are large in the pharmaceutical industry in Nara Prefecture and are characterized by the fact that their main products are prescription drugs. As described above, changes in the forms of pharmaceutical production enterprises in Nara Prefecture have been observed.

　　In Nara Prefecture, although the share of placement medicines in total production has been declining, the production value of pharmaceutical products has shown an increasing trend since the mid-2000s, reflecting the diversification of products and the increase in contract production. However, the decline in the production of placement medicines has reduced the advantages of enterprises concentrated in Nara Prefecture. The expansion of contract production contributes to the increase in production value, but it is susceptible to the globalization of production or institutional changes in the pharmaceutical industry.

　　A total of four paired terrestrial and marine samples were collected from the Oshamappu river site and the Tohtsurunuma 1 site of Shari town, in the northern part of Hokkaido. They were radiocarbon dated to determine the ΔR （local marine reservoir correction） value of northern Hokkaido, facing towards the Sea of Okhotsk, using the Marine 20 calibrations. The ΔR value of the Oshamappu river site was calculated to be －94±60 yr，while the ΔR values for Tohtsurunuma Pit 2 were 55±46 yr and 135±45 yr （Average was 95±64 yr）. New ΔR values differ from a re-calculated ΔR value （－323±42 yr） of the Tokoro shell mound, formally reported.