The geographical effects of large-scale superstores on total retail sales : with a special reference to Kanto regions in Japan

This paper examines the geographical effects of large-scale superstores on the total retail sales with a special reference to Kanto regions in Japan. There is a possibility that the total sales of retail shops in the region are affected by not only the existence of large-scale super stores and population density, but also the so called “geographical correlation.” This study employs the empirical tool of the “geographically weighted regression method” and examines several hypotheses. Our empirical evidence suggests that although the existence of large-scale super stores has a positive effect on the total sales of retail shops in the Tokyo adjacent region, there are no such effects in rural areas. Regarding population density, the positive effects on the total sales of retail shops have been observed in areas where the population density is low; however, there are almost no effects in other areas.