Local Land Use Effects of High-Speed Rail Location Choice at Japanese Creative Cities

In recent years, the creative economy has become a potential source of economic growth, with global creative goods and services reaching at a record high of US$524 million in 2020, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Many cities worldwide have responded to this growing trend by developing specialized infrastructure, such as coworking spaces, innovation labs, and supportive policies like tax incentives and direct subsidies, to assist this sector. However, it also requires the necessary physical infrastructure to move the goods, people, and ideas that drive the creative economy effectively. Efficient transportation networks are crucial towards promoting collaboration among creative professionals, enabling access to regional and global markets, and attracting both talent and investment at the same time. This paper explores Japan’s use of its high-speed rail (HSR) system to meet these objectives in its creative cities. These cities benefit from HSR stations connected to the Shinkansen line by facilitating economic activity through transit-oriented development (TOD). Using a mixed-methods approach, this chapter examines the intensity of land use surrounding an HSR station by employing nighttime light data (NTL) analysis. Although radiometric calibration and atmospheric correction are typically applied to NTL data to ensure that the resulting imagery accurately reflects surface radiance values, these steps were not performed in this study due to data limitations. A fixed effects panel model was also employed to analyse the longitudinal impact of HSR station proximity on land use intensity and local economic activity. The results provide evidence that creative cities with HSR stations, such as the City of Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, have experienced significant increases in local economic activity and land use intensity post-HSR integration, as reflected in higher NTL levels. This growth is further supported by strategic TOD policies that prioritize mixed-use development and cultural innovation districts within or near these transit hubs.