FORMATION MECHANISM OF KNOWLEDGE-BASED INDUSTRY CLUSTERS WITHIN THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

The purpose of this study is to describe the features of the clusters of Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) within the Tokyo metropolitan area, and investigate the determinants of KIBS location. Using municipal scale database, significance of potential determinants of KIBS were investigated through path analysis, and that was followed by a more detailed survey in the form of a questionnaire for KIBS companies. As a result, following conclusions were obtained:(1) Several strongly concentrated KIBS clusters were observed in central Tokyo and some of the innner-suburban business districts. By calculating Ellison-Glaeser index, it was confirmed that KIBS has a stronger tendency of geographic concentration when it was compared to other service industries.(2) Most influential determinants of KIBS location are economies of agglomeration, food amenity, nightlife amenity and urbanized regional image. This means that social common capital that is specific to large cities attracts KIBS in direct and indirect manner, which results in a predominant agglomeration of KIBS in highly urbanized areas.