Modernization, Industrialization and Regional Change in Japan - A Case of a Coal Mining Region: Panopticonization towards Space and Society in Modern Japan -

Japan has attained exceptionally rapid modernization under very strong centralization since 1868. Through the process spaces had been integrated under “panopticonization” of them. In the industrialization coal mining has taken a very important role to lead the modernization. In coal mining regions there formed unique society (Gemeinschaftliches Gesellschaft) and strong labour unions had been typified by their activities. But petroleum and cheaper imported coal have pushed domestic coal away from a resource market especially since 1960’s. The national government has executed some policies such as “Scrap and Build Policy,” to/for domestic coal mines and now there are only two coal mines