How Transforming Ethnic Town in Inner city is Chosen:

Traditionally, the theme of “migration to city” in Japanese sociological research has focused mainly on internal migration from rural to urban areas by Japanese nationals. However, it has been pointed out that studies on international migrants' choice of residence are close to studies on internal migration, and analyses of secondary migration (internal migration) by foreign nationals have been conducted. In response, this paper aims to present new suggestions on the theme of “migration to city” from the perspective of international migrants. To this end, this paper reviews the distinctive issues examined in discussing regional choice, mainly residential segregation, by international migrants and presents a method that focuses on assigning significance to regional choice by each individual. This paper then analyzes the case of Shin-Okubo area of Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, as the base for various activities, including residence, business, and gathering, by newcomer Korean entrepreneurs and others. The analysis of the Shin-Okubo area confirmed that even in areas where regional choice continues to occur, changes in the form and nature of concentration can be observed due to changes in the character of the area and the immigrants. This result suggests that it is effective to analyze the meaning of each individual's choice regarding the regional selection of international migrants. At the same time, it may contribute to the study of “migration to city” in general in that it suggests changes in the current situation regarding the choice of inner city areas.