TSUTSUMI, Jun 1999.
Land Conversion due to Decision Agents in an Urban Land Market--A Case Study of Maebashi City, Japan.

Geographical Review of Japan Ser.B, 72, 23-47.

Abstract:

This study provides a micro-level analysis of the relationship between land-use change and land-use decisions of agents in an urban land market. In this paper the land conversion process in Maebashi City, a medium-sized city with one core built-up area was investigated according to the stages of development in terms of land-use change, the number and kind of decision agents, and the mode of their own behavior. The Land Assessment Rolls housed in Maebashi City Hall were used to obtain land-ownership data.
In accordance with urban growth, the number of agents and the types of their behavior generally increased. Moreover, the most important feature was that when development progressed to the next stage, the particular agents who only chose limited behavior during the earlier stages took a combination of several kinds of behavior in the same area. The reason for the change of their behavior can be considered as follows:
1) The causes and conditions for their land-use decisions diversified due to the increase of the number of agents:
2) As a result of this diversification of decision-making, the choices for their behavior also diversified.

In consequence, the behavior pattern itself became more complicated. Multiple kinds of behavior taken by one agent was a phenomenon only observed in the city center with high urban land demand. However, when urban structure changed due to urban growth, characteristic behavior of the later stages of development was also seen in the suburbs which were previously at an earlier stage of development.

Key words:

land-use change, land-ownership change, land-conversion process, decision agent, behavioral approach, Maebashi City

Chapters:

I Introduction

1.The purpose of this study and previous studies
2.Viewpoints and methods
3. Study area

1) Outline of the study area
2) Decision agents in the Maebashi urban land market

II Tendency of urbanization in Maebashi City
III Land conversion process in the central area of Maebashi City

1.Land-use change
2.Land-ownership change
3.Land-use decisions of agents

1) Decision agents living in Maebashi City
2) New decision agents in Maebashi City
3) Decision agents and intermediators

4.Land conversion due to land-use decisions

IV Decision agents and urban development stages in Maebashi City
V Conclusion

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