What Factors Will Influence Foreign Residents’ Staying in Commercial Spaces in Front of Stations? A Case Study on Chinese Residents in Japan

In the context of transit-oriented development (TOD), an essential objective in international city development is the creation of commercial spaces in front of stations that attract people from diverse backgrounds and of various nationalities. There remains a notable gap in research focusing on people’s staying in commercial spaces in front of stations from the perspective of foreign residents. This study aims to identify the key factors influencing the staying of Chinese residents in Japan regarding to commercial spaces in front of stations via questionnaire. Among them, the popularity of commercial spaces in front of stations and the diversity of business types were the most influential. Critical factors also included the area of station, the greenery, the distance from the station to stores, the ethnic cultural element, the percentage of foreign residents in station human traffic, and the area of commercial spaces in front of stations. This research also showed significant differences in the perceived importance of critical factors exhibited by population attributes across occupation, monthly income, and length of residence in Japan.