Efficacy of Urban Regeneration Policy by Tourism, and its Limitations. Case Study in Mojiko, Kitakyushu, Japan Takao Akagawa 1, a , Kana Haruta 2, b 1 Dept. of Environmental Space Design, University of Kitakyushu, 1-1.Hibikino, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan, 808-0135 2 Okamura Corporation, Tenri Bldg, 1-4-1 Kitasaiwai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-0004, Japan a akagawa @env.kitakyu-u.ac.jp, b
[email protected] ABSTRACT This paper verifies the effectiveness of introducing “tourism Industry” in areas of economic decline, by analyzing the transition of Land-use in and around areas where public and private tourism investments are made. We have compared the land use of the target area “Mojiko-Retro District” in the year 1986, 1996 and 2006, to see how the initial investment on tourism has affected the local business, commercial activity etc. to analyze its efficacy for urban regeneration. KEYWORDS : Urban regeneration, Tourism industry, Land use, Sustainability 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Urban regeneration by “tourism Industry” in “Mojiko” Kitakyushu. Sustainability of cities heavily relies on the sustainability of local business and commerce which is vulnerable to external condition such as its global and national competitiveness of its major industries. In cities where its major industry has lost its competitiveness, “Tourism” is often introduced for regeneration. Even in cases where newly introduced tourism industry increases the number of visitors, it does not always mean that it has positive effect on the regeneration of local commerce and business. In this paper, we will analyze the consequence of the introduction of tourism industry in Mojiko, Kitakyushu by “Mojiko-Retro” project initiated by city of Kitakyushu from 1988 to present.