Increasing the Value of a Shopping Street in an Ethnic Town:

In this study, we examine the expansion in the post-2000 period of shopping street activation within the Miyuki-dori shopping street (Ikuno Korea Town) in Ikuno Ward of Osaka City. We also examined the relationship between shopping street and multicultural coexistence entailed in town planning. A first key finding of the study was that commencing from the 2000s, shopping street association has played a major role in revitalizing Ikuno Korea Town. Many shopkeepers have roots in Korea establishing in Japan. Several shopping districts with shops owned by individuals belonging to diverse ethnic groups have sprouted up in Ikuno Korea Town and all over the city. Under these circumstances, a local network has been established that extends beyond the vicinity of the shopping street. This study found that immigration and generational changes had led to the establishment of shopping street in Ikuno Korea Town. A second key finding of the study was that the development of increasingly commercial attitudes among shoppers can be linked to town development that has entailed the promotion of multicultural coexistence. In other words, town planning specifically fosters commercial activities, which constitute the basis and rationale of activities like street shopping. This is because fostering multicultural coexistence in the town is necessary to reduce conflicts shop owners within shopping street association and avoid political tensions. These town planning measures have resulted in Ikuno Korea Town becoming a model example of multicultural coexistence. However, as the study demonstrates town planning has in fact been a necessity in Ikuno Korea Town.