Re-urbanization of Population in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area: ROXY-index / Spatial-cycle Analysis for the Period 1947-2005

The four major stages of the spatial-cycles are quantitatively examined, by use of the Japan\u27s population census data extending over the past sixty years (for the period 1947-2005), for the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and its five major railway-line regions. The spatial-cycle hypothesis constructed by Klaassen and the method of the Roxy-index analysis developed by the first author, are applied to our investigation. The results obtained clearly illuminate the recent trend of the re-urbanization of the population in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area as a whole and its five major railway-line regions as well. This would imply that the core-area part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area will play an increasingly critical role in the future urban policies of Japan. Among other findings is the possible existence of the metropolitan (or urban) spatial cycles of the estimated length of the period of 80～ 100 years