THE DYNAMICS OF REGIONAL LABOUR MARKETS IN JAPAN

Two major economic transformations, viz. a rural/industrial and an industrial/service-oriented change, have affected the structure of regional labour markets in Japan. Technological change and changing attitudes towards work have been major forces in shaping the spatial patterns of these transformations. These patterns are examined with respect to their implications for the core-periphery relations. A major question in this context is to what extent there has been a tendency towards convergence or whether the forces of divergence have been stronger. Important indicators to measure the dynamic aspects of this spatial transformation process are differences in types of R & D employed, changing participation rates of males and females and the spatial patterns of job creation and job destruction. It appears that the existing pattern of core-periphery relations is rather persistent over time, with a slight tendency for the core region to incorporate some upward transitional regions and in this way, extend its spatial domain.