This paper proposes a time-space map using linear transformation and applies it to evaluate the impacts of the highway projects in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Although our new timespace map entails a greater estimated error than the multi-dimensional scaling methods, which are the most standard time-space map, it shows the velocity along any direction, the contours of access time and the area of the accessible within a given time. These advantages are based on the elements of linear algebra such as eigenvalue, eigenvectors, inverse matrix, determinants. Then, we delineate three types of time-space maps in Ibaraki Prefecture, according to three highway projects: 1) no highway; 2) Joban-highway; and 3) Joban-highway and Kitakanto-highway. We evaluate the global effect of such highway projects based on these maps.

View full abstract

Geometric morphometrics which are recently developing field in biology are applied for the analysis of the shape of city. The isolines of land price in the Tokyo metropolitan area are examined for 1985-2004. The most important change happened in local scale in the research period, is summed up with three different warps through relative warp analysis which is one of the methods developed in the geometric morphometrics. First warp represents the change which extended to suburban city like Chiba, Omiya and Yokohama. Second warp represents the change towards the Kanagawa prefecture and western part of the Saitama prefecture. Third warp represents the change towards western part of the Tokyo prefecture. The results from regression analysis reveal that, the first warp is strongly reflected by the population of the inner city. The second warp is affected by the interest rate and the third warp has relation to the population of the Tokyo prefecture and GDP.

View full abstract

Spatial pattern of precincts of shrines and temples is analyzed to clarify their role as green open space in Tokyo. First, original polygon data is made based on digitalized ANSEI 3rd(1856) Map. Second, based on these data, area size, distribution and morphological characteristics of precincts are compared between Edo and the present Tokyo. Third, the possibility of present precincts as green open spaces was examined. The results show: (1) Temples maintain cluster-type distribution from Edo to the present Tokyo; (2) Both shrines and temples have higher green coverage ratios than average ratio of Tokyo 23 wards area; and (3) Although each size of shrines and temples is smaller than an ordinary park, scattered precincts make green open spaces closer for urban residents.

View full abstract

Accessibility addresses a wide range of urban and transportation issues and is a subject of increasing interest. In this article we utilize GIS to measure and examine intra-metropolitan variation in job accessibility by commuting time and mode for Tokyo. In order to take into account spatial distributions of jobs and workers as well as travel modes, we employ the floating catchment area method and estimate origin-to-destination commuting times for auto and public transit. Three-dimensional visualization reveals that job accessibility varies considerably by location and commuting mode, but the spatial variability tends to lessen as the threshold of travel time lengthens. The empirical measures of job accessibility provide data useful for examining jobs-housing balance and commuting patterns.

View full abstract

This paper presents an overlay analysis of water supply pipe damage in Cities of Nagaoka and Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture where large damage of lifeline systems due to the 2004 Niigata-ken Chuetsu Earthquake was reported. Primary factors to damage were analyzed by entering damage information of the water supply pipes to GIS and overlaying some digital maps including geomorphologic classification, liquefaction, and landslide. The results of analysis show that the damage of the pipes was concentrated within alluvial fans and gravelly terraces along the boundaries of geomorphologic map units such as between alluvial low lands and terraces or hills in the west zone along the earthquake source fault. In Ojiya City the damage rate in the liquefaction zones is about 1.5 times higher than that in other regions.

View full abstract

The objective of this research is to estimate species composition of hardwood species using measurements on plots and GIS. The study area is secondary hardwood forests around Takigashira Bog. The subject species are Fagus crenata, Quercus serrata and Quercus crispula, which are dominated in this area. First, species composition was investigated in 13 plots, which were divided into 55 subplots, and DEM was created from digitized contour lines. Then, the relationship between species composition and topographical and environmental factors calculated from the DEM was examined using multiple regression analysis and regression equations were derived. Applying the equations on GIS, the species composition in terms of basal area and stocking for each species was estimated and mapped. Finally, the estimates were evaluated, comparing with the measurements.

View full abstract

With the rapid development of IT, the society is becoming highly information-based and community development is depending on the level of computerization. Also, with the growth of the cities, more reasonable decision-making is required based on efficient information management of basic facilities such as urban space and underground utilities. Korean government organized a steering committee for the master plan of the National Geographic Information Systems (NGIS) so that government departments, autonomous bodies and enterprises may cooperatively establish a firm foothold to develop and utilize the GIS. The 1st NGIS master plan was established in May, 1995 and was carried out through 2000. The 2nd NGIS (2001-2005) is under way at present. Each municipality has been trying to utilize the GIS systematically in management of basic facilities such as water, sewage pipeline, road and transportation to enhance administrative affairs and services for citizens. Also, they are striving to use the GIS to minimize natural or man-made disasters and to deal with internal and external environmental changes. This study presents the strategy to reform GIS construction for the better urban infrastructure-especially underground facilities-management on the basis of problems found in the GIS projects that were previously carried out.

View full abstract