Centralization and Peripherization by Urban Renaissance Policies in the Polycentric Kansai Region, Japan

Abstract

The structural dynamics of Japanese metropolitan development, similar to other highly developed post-industrial economies, are increasingly shaped by national urban renaissance (UR) strategies. While UR analysis often focuses narrowly on physical city core redevelopment, this paper situates UR within the broader metropolitan and governance context. Using the polycentric Kansai region—comprising Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe—as a case study, the paper examines how national UR policy affects both regional and local levels. It highlights the emergence of new spatial and functional disparities resulting from centralisation and peripherisation processes triggered by UR policy. The study raises the question of whether applying UR strategies across different governance levels in polycentric regions fosters renewed centralisation of urban functions while simultaneously producing new peripheries.