Abstract
Kikuchi examines the impact of placing the construction of an airport ahead of other infrastructure development in the Yaeyama region. The cases of Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island in the Yaeyama region illustrate the sequence of the economic development policies in the tourism industry clustering implemented after the construction of New Ishigaki Airport. He concludes that, in the case of Ishigaki Island, the next step in the sequence is the development of transportation access from the airport to the center, and that, in the case of Iriomote Island, the next step is to construct a large mall for tourism marketing. The higher priority is given to the construction of New Ishigaki Airport than other infrastructure development in the Yaeyama region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The old airport had a 1500 m runway from which only small jets could be operated. Furthermore, small jets could not take off or land carrying a full load. There were also weight limits on freight for aircrafts departing from the old airport, and flights departing for areas outside Okinawa had to fly via Miyako Airport or Naha Airport. Note that passenger capacity is 150 for a small jet and 230 for a medium-sized jet. The flying time for direct flights is three hours and 30 minutes for inbound flights, and two hours and 40Â minutes for outbound flights. It takes four hours and 20Â minutes for both inbound and outbound flights with a transit stop.
- 2.
The focus in this chapter is on regional development by means of tourism. Environmental issues are not discussed.
- 3.
In some cases, people from outside Okinawa resettle in the Yaeyama region, working as helpers in guest houses or tour guides, eventually becoming members of the regional society.
- 4.
Central Japan International Airport provides a good example of how rebuilding (and improving) an existing regional airport can trigger sequential development. New Ishigaki Airport is not an extension of an existing airport; it is an airport which was relocated and newly constructed. It is anticipated that infrastructure will be put in place in the future, leading to a reorganization of the existing facilities. Since there is the possibility that existing facilities may be reorganized around New Ishigaki Airport, we used sequence analysis in this chapter in support of tourism development on Ishigaki Island.
- 5.
The main regional divisions of Okinawa are the main island of Okinawa, the Miyako region and the Yaeyama region. Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island fall under the latter.
- 6.
In an interview conducted in the summer of 2013 at farm inns on Iriomote Island, some interviewees said that the number of tourists had definitely increased owing to the opening of the new airport. More specifically, tourists who were not able to find accommodation in Ishigaki Island had to stay on Iriomote Island, about an hour away.
- 7.
The analysis was performed using Mac Tahenryokaiseki v. 2.0.
- 8.
Details concerning this point are provided in [5].
- 9.
According to the Taketomi Town Association of Commerce and Industry [6], five hotels, one Japanese-style hotel, five small Western-style guest houses and cottages, and twelve guest houses in Iriomote Island are members of the association. The accommodation facilities are predominantly guest houses.
References
Akifumi Kuchiki. 2007. Theory on industrial clusters in Asia – Potential of a flow-chart approach. Shosekikobo Hayama Publishing Co., Ltd., 253 p.
———. 2013. A prospect and issues of industrial clusters in Asia – The formation of the agriculture and food-culture industry clusters in the Asian triangle of growth. Journal of Agricultural Development Studies 24(1): 8–17.
———. 2014. Spatial economics and industrial clusters. In Hideyoshi Sakai, Toru Yanagihara, and Akifumi Kuchiki, authors and eds. 159–194. Gendai No Kaihatsu Keizai Gaku, Minerva Shobo.
Yoshinobu Sato. 2008. Impact of tourism development on island development – Case of tourism in the Yaeyama islands – Bulletin of the research institute of regional area study. Nagasaki Wesleyan University 6(1): 25–32.
Zhixin Chen, Yuki Yano, Tetsuya Nakamura, and Akifumi Kuchiki. 2014. The impact new airport construction on tourism industry growth – A case study of Hong Kong and Singapore. Journal of Agricultural Development Studies 24(3): 64–71.
URLs
Ishigaki City. http://www.city.ishigaki.okinawa.jp/home/kensetsubu/toshikensetsu/toshikeikaku/0.pdf. Accessed 26 June 2015.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kikuchi, K. (2017). The Agriculture-Food-Tourism Industry Cluster in Okinawa, Japan: The Key Role of an Airport in Clustering. In: Kuchiki, A., Mizobe, T., Gokan, T. (eds) A Multi-Industrial Linkages Approach to Cluster Building in East Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57128-1_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57128-1_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-57127-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-57128-1
eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)