LANDES- UND REGIONALENTWICKLUNG ZWISCHENWACHSTUM UND SCHRUMPFUNG: REGIONALEDISPARITÄTEN UND RÄUMLICHE PLANUNG IN JAPAN

Since the early 1950s, the Japanese government has followed a paradigmof ‘balanced regional development’ that is based on comprehensive planning approachescharacterized by very high levels of central government control. However,the intended regional economic growth failed to occur and regional disparitiescontinued to widen. Today, as Japan faces demographic changes as a regional challenge,the pressure to overcome traditional top-down planning policies is evengreater. The degree of social acceptance of regional disparities is determined notleast by normative decision-making in spatial planning and politics. In reality, thedemands of these rural-peripheral and old industrialized regions that suffer a declinein population and thus their functional capability are politically highly sensitive.However, new spatial visions and strategies related to a ‘paradigm of shrinking’,as well as new forms of regulation including bottom-up approaches that challengevested interests are still in question.... []