SYMBOLIC USE OF GLOBALIZATION IN URBAN-POLITICS IN TOKYO

Since the 1980s, more complicatedly interwoven forces of globalized ca pital, central and local states, and growth-oriented local actors have produced not a single form but variations of global city formation. I n the reconstruction process of postindustrial cities, the concept of globalization does not necessarily provide a dominating and self-suffi cient story, but actually acts as a symbolic catalyst which stimulates them to establish a new urban regime on the basis of more exclusive p olitical powers. This article investigates why Tokyo, though lacking i n consensus about such a change, once succeeded and then failed in est ablishing a political,coalition for urban restructuring. For newly-eme rgent global cities such as Tokyo, 'globalization' had two different l ocal impacts on urban restructuring: a substantial one derived from th e economic interests of globalized capital; and a symbolic one manipul ated by local dominating political actors. Globalization as a politica l symbol took on an ideological role by both masking pre-modem traits behind the coalition and giving postmodern appearances to it. But, con currently with this, as a social cleavage has developed from an influx of foreign workers, the meaning of globalization has shifted to a mor e conflicting one.