Urban Geography of Tokyo City - Essay Example

Urban Geography of Tokyo TA’s Actual and Relative Location of the Tokyo is the largest and capital ofJapan. It is located on the Tokyo Bay, a Pacific Ocean inlet, in the east- central Honshu. The City is a section of the bigger Tokyo prefecture or metropolis. In addition, the metropolis is a section of the Tokyo- Yokohama Metropolitan Area also known as the Greater Tokyo (Encyclopedia Britannica Kids, 2015). Regionally, it is at the Kanto, southeastern part of the Honshu Island. It was founded as Edo in the 1100s and renamed Tokyo after becoming the imperial capital in 1868. Tokyo is one of the forty- seven prefectures of Japan and holds the Japanese government and the Emperor of Japan. Map of Tokyo Source: (Encyclopedia Britannica Kids, 2015) Demographic Structure Population Size (as per October 1, 2012) Total Population of Tokyo 13.216 million people People per square kilometer 6,038 persons Number of households 6.699 million households People per household 1.97 persons Number of Foreign Residents 390,000 Source: (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2015) Age Structure (as per October 1, 2010) Population Age in Years Number of People Percentage of the Total Population Child Population 0- 14 years 1.477 million 11.4 % Working- Age Population 15- 64 years 8.85 million 68.2 % Aged population 65 years and above 2.642 million 20.4 % Total Population 13.159 million 100% Source: (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2015) In and Out-Migration Rates (as per October, 2012) People moving in People moving out Net social increase Tokyo and other prefectures 400,000 persons 344,000 persons 56,000 persons Tokyo and three adjacent prefectures (Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama) 186,000 persons 172,000 persons 14,000 persons Source: (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2015) Literacy Rates Literacy rate 99% Higher Education Institutions Above 150 in number Source: (Waite, 2013) Employment/ Unemployment Rates (as per 2010 census) Employment Groups Number of People Percentage of total population Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries 23,000 persons 0.4 % Manufacturing and Transportation 1.064 million persons 17.7 % Sales and Services 1.575 million persons 26.2% Clerical, Technical, and Management Occupations 2.542 million persons 42.3 % Source: (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2015) Economic structure Major Employers in the City Major Employers Employees (Percentage of 8.239 million persons) Construction 5.4 % Information and Communication 9.3 % Wholesale and Retail Trade 22.0 % Real Estate and Good Rental and Leasing 3.6 % Accommodation, Eating, and Drinking Services 9.9 % Education, Learning Support 3.5 % Services, NEC 9.6 % Manufacturing 10.9 % Transport and postal services 0.1 % Finance and Insurance 4.3 % Scientific Research, Professional Technical Services 5.2% Lining- Related and Personal Services, and Amusement Services 4.1% Medical, Healthcare and Welfare 6.1 % Others 1.1% Source: (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2011) Major Industries or Manufacturing Major Industries and Manufacturers Type of Economy Construction Secondary Information and Communication Tertiary Wholesale and Retail Trade Tertiary Real Estate and Good Rental and Leasing Tertiary Accommodation, Eating, and Drinking Services Tertiary Education, Learning Support Tertiary Services, nec Tertiary Manufacturing Secondary Transport and postal services Tertiary Finance and Insurance Tertiary Scientific Research, Professional Technical Services Tertiary Lining- Related and Personal Services, and Amusement Services Tertiary Medical, Healthcare and Welfare Tertiary Source: (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2011) Major Site and Situation Factors Construction companies have succeeded in Tokyo due to its huge population that provides consumers for the services. It can also be linked to the city being a metropolitan. The same can be said about the wholesale and retail industry. The huge development of the information and telecommunication industry can be based on the high literacy levels of the city. In addition, the healthcare, medical, and welfare industry has greatly developed due to both the literacy levels and the higher economic development of the city compared to the other prefectures. On the other hand, the development of the finance and insurance sector can be associated with the concentration of the Japan’s finance functions in Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2011). It can also be linked to the diversity of the industries in Tokyo. The scientific research and professional technical service in Tokyo has developed due to its outstanding literacy levels. The huge development of the small- scale businesses is due to a large population that offers a huge demand for retail products and availability of funds to spend. The availability of money to spend is also the reason for the development of the amusement industries. The transportation and postal services have developed due to the city being a metropolitan and its depending trade relation with the rest of Asia (Japan External Trade Organization, 2015). Furthermore, the availability of study institutions and the need for commuter services also has played a role in the development of the transportation sector. Analytical Urban Geography Development of Tokyo can be linked to its demographic and economic structure. The demographic structure is the study of a given population relating to employment, age, income, relation, and population among others. However, economic structure defines the balance of output, employment, and income among other factors relating to the economic sectors. Economic sectors include primary, tertiary, secondary, and quaternary sectors. Since Tokyos is a metropolitan, its urban geography can be analyzed by comparing its population to that of Japan, focusing on its aged population, and considering its industrial sector. In 2012, Tokyo’s population was approximately about 13.216 million. The population is a tenth of Japans’ total population. It is, therefore, the most populous prefecture out of the forty- seven ones that make up Japan. Tokyo has an area of approximately 2,189 kilometers squared which is equal to 0.6 % of the area of Japan. The figure makes the population density of Tokyo to be about 6,038 people per kilometers squared making it the most densely populated Japan’s prefecture (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2015). The statistics make Tokyo extremely populated compared to Japan. The population of the aged persons in Tokyo exceeds the standard set by United Nations. According to the United Nations standard, the aged society in a given country should not exceed the 14 % mark (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2015). However, the Tokyos "aged population" is approximately 20.14 % of the total population of the city. The percentage exceeds the recommended mark by 6.14% that is a huge margin. Since the aged population in the city is growing, Tokyo will soon become a "super- aged society." In explanation, the increase in the “super- aged population” means more dependent individuals increasing in the town hence reduced productivity per capita. Tokyo is the most industrialized center in Japan. It has a manufacturing industry which is highly diversified. The cause of diversification has been promoted by Tokyo’s high population and it being metropolitan. Tokyos heavy industries are concentrated in Yokohama, Kawasaki, and Chiba. Tokyo proper, on the other hand, is highly concerned with light industry businesses that include electronic equipment production and book printing. Tokyo also acts as Japans finance and management center. It acts as a metropolis that accommodates the main offices in the country with Marunouchi being the areas that most of the offices are located. The close link between businesses and government in Japan has made Tokyo be advantageous hence the mega preference (Monden, 2013). In conclusion, Tokyo is the populous metropolitan in Japan. Its population is approximately 10% of the total Japans population despite having an area equal to 0.6% of the country. Tokyo also doubles as the leading industrial center for Japan and the focus of development in the country due to its situation and structure. References Encyclopedia Britannica Kids (2015). Tokyo: Location. Retrieved from http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-166192/Tokyo-city-is-part-of-the-larger-Tokyo- metropolis-or Japan External Trade Organization (2015). Tokyo. Retrieved from https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/region/tokyo.html#a1 Monden, Y. (2013). Management of service businesses in Japan. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific. Tokyo Metropolitan Government (2011). Industry and employment in Tokyo- A graphic overview 2011. Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Tokyo Metropolitan Government (2015). Tokyo’s history, geography, and population. Retrieved from http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/ABOUT/HISTORY/history03.htm Waite, C. (2013). 5 Things you don’t know about Tokyo. Retrieved from http://thingstodo.viator.com/tokyo/things-you-didnt-know-about-tokyo/ Read More