In the CBD of Tokyo, there have been recent trends, in which the high-order urban functions have become densely accumulated, and in the development of Tokyo as a leading international financial market. These trends have influenced the Tokyo metropolitan area in relation to the current office space shortage, and they have also promoted changes in the central administrative function in Tokyo. This study aims at analyzing the progress of the suburban area independent on Tokyo in the metropolitan area, the characteristics of the core cities in the suburban area, and relationship between the development of the metropolitan area and these cities. In this analysis, indicators such as the change in the rate of commuting and school attendance in Tokyo and the suburban core cities, the change in an annual retail sales volume per (capita) population in each city and the distribution of branch offices of the listed companies were used. Comparisons were made between 1975 and 1985. The followings show the results of structural change in the metropolitan area. 1) The structural change in the commuting and school attendance rate in relation to Tokyo can be explained by the differences in the progress of metropolitanization. In particular, as educational institutions have shifted to suburban areas, the school attendance rate in Tokyo has declined relatively. 2) From the analysis of the characteristics of commuting and school attendance rate and their area in relationship to the suburban core cities (These cities having been classified into the 4 types.). It was found that several of these cities had an increase in the number of commuters from the surrounding area including the exurbia area (the new urban growth zone adjacent to the metropolitan area), proved that there is a trend towards complex commuter flows in the suburban areas. 3) The changes in the index of the annual retail sales volume in relation to the population of each city, can also be explained by the differences in the development of metropolitanization. For example, in the downtown areas, such as Shinjuku, Asakusa and Ginza, the sales volume index remains at a high level, even though there has been an increase of daily shopping facilities in the suburban areas. Due to the fact that suburban residents depend on Tokyo for high grade shopping amenities. Thus the suburbs of the metropolitan area and the suburban core cities show that there has been an averaged accumulation of retail function. However in the inner-suburbs adjacent to Tokyo, there is a declining index of retail value. 4) The distribution of the branch offices of the listed companies, in one category reveals recent trends that the functions are accumulating in Tokyo and other cities, such as Yokohama. Chiba and Ohmiya. In another category of business, these offices could be seen in lower order cities too. These trends show an increase in the functional importance of suburban core cities in relation to structural changes in the metropolitan area.