MyVisi
MyV
ision
on
No.6

2014.12

Tokyo: Global City
Against the background of intensifying competition between cities on a global scale, how should wedraw the map of Tokyo’s future? The interviewees in this issue of My Vision indicate that further
evolution on both the “hard” and “soft” fronts is essential for Tokyo as it approaches the holding of
its second Olympic games. They also express hopes that Tokyo will become an elegant international
city that attracts foreign visitors while retaining aspects of Japan’s traditional culture, and point out
the necessity for downsizing the city’s functions in accord with Japan’s declining population.

CONTENTS
Expert Opinions

How can We Transform Tokyo into an
Attractive Global City?
Formulate policy visions to
respond to two major issues

A Tokyo able to compete
globally will drive Japan

Ryuji Fujimura

Hiroo Ichikawa

Lecturer, Faculty of Science and Engineering,
Toyo University

Dean, Graduate School of Governance Studies,
Meiji University

Create visions based on adivision into ﬁve
administrative units

Create a comfortable Tokyo

Kozo Kadowaki

Preserve Tokyoʼs history andculture and remain amodest megalopolis

Senior Assistant Professor, School of Science andTechnology, Meiji University

Kaoru Endo
Professor, Faculty of Law, Gakushuin University

Regis Arnaud
Chief Editor, France Japon Eco

Expert Opinions

How can We Transform Tokyo into an
Attractive Global City?
With the positioning by the Abe Cabinet of the revitalization of local economies as a new policy target, discussion towards the reviviﬁcation of regions facing declining populations and plummeting birth rates has begun.
As the antithesis of the situation in Japanʼs regions, considerable criticism of the excessive concentration of
population and industry in the capital Tokyo has also been heard.
Looking towards the future, what form should Tokyo seek to take? What are the issues that must be resolved toenable Tokyo to continue to be a highly competitive global city?
For this issue of MyVision, we sought opinions from academics in the ﬁelds of urban policy, sociology, and architecture, an architect, and a foreign journalist resident in the city.

Interviewer: Nao Toyoda, NIRA Senior Researcher Editor: Kazuyoshi Harada
Period of interview: August – September 2014

Formulate policy visions to respond totwo major issues
Ryuji Fujimura
Lecturer, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Toyo University
Consideration of a vision for Tokyo’ s future presents two
aspects. The first of these is how to bring out Tokyo’ s individuality
as an Asian global city. Looking towards the 2020 Olympics, thisis an issue that affects a zone spanning a radius of eight kilometers
running through the central wards of Tokyo, and centering on
Harumi, where the Olympic village will be constructed.
In other areas of the city, responses are necessary to issues
consequent upon the decline of the population. As Japan as awhole moves in the direction of contraction, it will also benecessary to reduce the scale of Tokyo. These twin aspects will
have to be considered as the precondition for the formulation ofpolicy visions and the building of consensus.
Within the eight-kilometer zone centering on Harumi, we
should aim, through the planning of Olympic facilities, to create
an urban area possessing increased international competitiveness.
Tokyo has a number of challenges on the agenda, for example theconcept of creating an Asian global center in the bay area. If it ispossible to redevelop the “inner harbor” within the Rainbow
Bridge as an area for sightseeing and living, we will be able tocreate a new image of Tokyo centering on the bay. The Olympics
will act as the impetus for this.
The other aspect that the future vision for Tokyo presents us is
the area outside the eight-kilometer zone. In the context of theeveryday issues faced by residents, how to reconstruct communities
is the major theme. In an era in which the population is declining,
we must consider how to proceed with the future reorganization ofschools and public facilities. Residential development commenced
in outlying towns in the 1960s and 1970s, and their populations
rapidly increased as bed towns. Today, however, the population isaging, and the influx of people is ceasing.
This remains the case whether we are considering the Tokyo

metropolitan area, the Tama area, or provincial cities. It will benecessary to reduce the total volume of infrastructure by stages.
Numerous policy issues are involved here, such as the integrationof elementary and junior high schools, the aggregation ofcommunity centers, and the creation of multi-functional hubs. ■Mr. Fujimura is an architect theorizing architecture and the city. He
proposes a transition in the industrial structure towards the informationand service industries, the reorganization of urban space in accord withthe ubiquitous information society, and a forward-looking roll-back of
the city for a smaller society.

Create visions based on a division
into ﬁve administrative units
Kozo Kadowaki
Senior Assistant Professor, School of Science and Technology,
Meiji University
Tokyo is too large a city to be a single administrative unit for
which unanimous decisions are made. It would surely be better todivide the city into an appropriate number of administrative units,
for example five, and create visions for the future that are suited toeach area.
In Chiyoda, Chuo and Minato Wards, the construction ofmega-office buildings centering on Marunouchi and Shinagawa
would continue, continuing the development of the area as abusiness district possessing global competitive ability.
Development of the bay area, the second division, as a new city
center would proceed. Large facilities would be constructed forthe holding of the Olympics in 2020. This would supplement
Tokyo’ s insufficient capacity in the area of holding conventions
and exhibitions. The old and new city centers would be linked, andwould function to drive the economy.
The remaining three divisions of Tokyo would be a westernarea, encompassing districts including Setagaya Ward, an easternarea, encompassing districts including Taito Ward and Sumida

My Vision No.6

Ward, and an area centering on Tama. The physical attributes
presented by these divisions differ, as do the attributes of theirresidents. Historically, the western area was the site of Tokyo’s
initial suburban development, and its residential areas are marked
by a preponderance of detached houses. Residential construction
took off in earnest in the 2000s in the eastern area, and the area
features a mix of old and new residents. It would be necessary to
promote development in the future suited to the respective
attributes of each area.
With Tokyo’ s population of productive age declining, it isdifficult to consider a model in which workers live in the Tamaregion and commute to work. A suburban-style residence
involving a one-hour commute by train would be particularly
difficult for young couples who both work. The role formerly
played by new towns is at an end, and an appropriate thinning out
of such areas will be necessary.
However, in addition to east-west transportation, this area also
encompasses north-south transportation to Kanagawa andSaitama, and is the site of a number of core urban areas. On thisbasis, it might be possible to reorganize the area as a uniqueeconomic zone. It also features numerous universities, and has
potential as a center of education and research. ■Dr. Kadowaki has participated in numerous public housing regeneration
projects and technological development projects. He considers thechanging form of the eﬃciently-designed contemporary city in an era of
population decline from the conceptual realm of architecture.

A Tokyo able to compete globally will
drive Japan
Hiroo Ichikawa
Dean, Graduate School of Governance Studies, Meiji University
Tokyo’s future is Japan’ s future. Japan’ s population began to
decline in 2008. Against this background, the only increase inpopulation in the country has occurred in the Tokyo area, which
has now reached 35 million residents. For many years, it has been
indicated that we should avoid the over-concentration of
population in the Tokyo area. But at the same time, there must be
somewhere for economic mechanisms to function and power thenation’ s economy, and for Japan, this means Tokyo, a city that istaking on the world.
At present, the West Japan region extending from Tokyo to
Fukuoka is Japan’ s engine of growth. How to start this engine andengage Japan’ s power is the biggest question facing us as we
consider the nation’ s future. Tokyo will be the key here, andTokyo is looking towards the Olympic Games in 2020, and thescheduled commencement of operation of the Linear Chuo
Shinkansen in 2027. The announcement by the Abe Cabinet of thecreation of special economic zones as part of its national strategy
was also timed to coincide with Tokyo’ s selection as the venue for
the Olympic Games.
It is well known that the holding of an Olympic Games is anenormous boon to the implementation of policy, providing an
opportunity for things to be done that would normally not be
possible. The opening of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen line between
Tokyo and Nagoya will follow the Olympics in 2027. Tokyo’ s
economy centers on tertiary industry, while Nagoya’ s economy
centers on the manufacturing industry, as exemplified by thepresence of Toyota Motors. The Linear Shinkansen will integratethese two economic zones. Even without considering physicaldistribution, in terms of human movement, the opening of the line
will make Nagoya a suburb of Tokyo at a distance of 40 minutes.
The opening of the line will also change Tokyo’ s urban structure.
Shinagawa, the station for arrival and departure of the trains, islocated about 10 minutes from Tokyo International Airport(Haneda). Measures such as the expansion of runways will see
Haneda increase its presence as a hub for international air routes.
2030 – 2040 will be a testing ten years for Japan, during which
the younger population will find itself unable to support the elderly
population. It is essential that we increase the power of Tokyo andthe nation as a whole before this period. The next 15 years will bevery important. The impetus will be provided by the Olympics in
six years’ time. Taking this opportunity, we will commence thework necessary to change Tokyo and create the future. ■Professor Ichikawa is an expert in urban issues in Japan and overseas. He
is involved in the development of urban policy for Tokyo that emphasizes
global competitiveness, and acts as the Principal of the Global Power City
Index Working Group of the Mori Memorial Foundationʼs Institute for
Urban Strategies.

Create a comfortable Tokyo

Kaoru Endo
Professor, Faculty of Law, Gakushuin University
In terms of the ranking of major world cities, Tokyo has long
been classified as part of the second-tier group. However, recently
cities in a lower position have been catching up, and Tokyo’ s
relative position is slipping. Tokyo is highly regarded from theperspectives of business and economy, but it is weak in “ soft”
areas such as culture, cultural exchange, and the provision of
information, and this reduces its overall evaluation. After the war,
Tokyo prioritized the economy and technology in an effort toreach the world’ s most advanced level, but at the same time, thecity’ s ability to project itself culturally declined, and this has
resulted in a lack of evolution in the regard in which it is held.
The number of foreign tourists provides us with aneasy-to-understand indicator. The number of foreign residents ofTokyo is increasing, which is certainly not a bad trend. The numberof foreign tourists visiting Tokyo is also rapidly increasing, but thecity was still ranked 36th in a survey conducted by Euromonitor
International. What can we do to improve this situation?
There seems to be a mismatch between Tokyo as viewed by
Japanese and Tokyo as viewed by foreigners. 60-70% of
guidebooks for domestic tourists show Tokyo Disneyland on the
cover. As the most representative images of Tokyo, guidebooks
for overseas visitors show scenes like sushi restaurants in Tsukiji
and Shinbashi bars crowded with “ salary men” after work.
Akihabara, which mixes advanced technology and “ otaku”
culture, and Harajuku, the center of “ cute” culture, are also
perennially popular spots.
Non-Japanese have recently begun increasingly to take part inTokyo’ s summer festivals. We see foreign residents helping tocarry portable shrines through the streets, and dancing at the frontof groups in the awa odori in Koenji. They are enjoying the Tokyo
lifestyle. Rather than the extraordinary, they seek the comfortable
and homely everyday. But numerous problems stand in the way ofrealizing this homely everyday in Tokyo, including streets ofboarded-up shops, the homeless problem, housing and childcare
issues, and disaster-prevention measures. A city in which foreign
residents and visitors are able to feel the comfortable and homely
aspects is a city in which Japanese residents are also able to live

comfortably. What we need are efforts to establish this type of
virtuous cycle. ■Professor Endo analyzes the eﬀect of intermediality, the interconnectedness of diverse forms of media, on the state of contemporary society inareas including politics, the city, and culture, and on change in society.

Preserve Tokyoʼs history and culture andremain a modest megalopolis
Regis Arnaud
Chief Editor, France Japon Eco

The problem in Tokyo now is that that the old city is being
destroyed by big, new buildings. There are guidelines for theprotection of beautiful buildings, but no real legal framework thatsupersedes ownership rights. Seeing the Tokyo Station building,an old stone building, gives one the feeling that time is important,that culture is important. If buildings from the Taisho era or the
Meiji era are not preserved and maintained, Tokyo will become
like Shanghai or Hong Kong. In these cities, it is difficult tobreathe, and the living environment has declined in quality. These
are no place to raise families. Once people living there becomerich, they chose to live in the US or Europe, precisely to find backthe quality of life that has been shattered. Why would Japan follow
the same path?
There is a scheme for the creation of a Japanese “ ChampsElysees” between Shinbashi and Toranomon. But the success of
the Champs-Elysees is not about buildings, it is about events, andculture. It is always lively, because every night you have shows,movies, opera, cabarets, night clubs. If you don’ t have flows like

this, a city may full of shops, but it is boring and economicallyfragile.
In France, in Paris, nobody wants to put up big buildings. In
Tokyo today, the most valuable land is in places like Denenchofu,
Meguro, and Seijogakuenmae. These areas are like villages; there
are only houses and a lot of green spaces, parks, and schools.
Areas like the neighborhood around Hitotsubashi University – forme, they are the best future. The land price in these areas will
never decrease.
Another problem in Tokyo is the conservative attitude of thepolice. With a few exceptions, the police will usually forbid any
street events, and restrict extremely movie shootings. Even if
Steven Spielberg wanted to shoot a movie in Tokyo, it would be
impossible. If you were to allow films to be shot in Tokyo, a lot of
productions would come here to film, and it would be good forTokyo’ s image. Tokyo also needs to stage events that will attract
overseas visitors.
In the 20th century, all of Asia looked to Japan. But now, Japanand Tokyo look to cities like Shanghai and Hong Kong at a time
when they are financially broken. That is what is behind the follyof the Tokyo Skytree or the Olympic Stadium. This is thementality of a developing country. My hope is that Tokyo canremain a modest megalopolis. ■Mr. Arnaud has written extensively concerning Tokyoʼs appeal and thecityʼs problems. He has high regard for Japanʼs cultural traditions, sense ofcommunity, and sound democracy, but is outspoken in his criticism ofurban policy that disregards cultural values.

This is a translation of a paper originally published in Japanese.
NIRA bears full responsibility for the translation presented here.

About this Issue

Tokyo: Global City
It has been indicated that the 21st century will be an
era of urbanization on a global scale. Attractive cities
are developing one after the other across Asia. How
should we draw the image of Tokyo as a global city
against this background?
We can find an example of an attempt to formulate a
grand design for the future in the world’s mostadvanced global city. This was the initiative instituted
by Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York
City. In 2011, Bloomberg announced that the city
would move away from an economic structure
dependent on the financial industry, and instead
become a center of technology rivaling Silicon Valley.
Many readers will no doubt see this as a natural
direction to move in based on the experience of theLehman crisis. But the process that led up to the
proposal of this initiative is very interesting. In orderto hone a new vision for New York City, Mayor
Bloomberg conducted a study of notable entrepreneurs
stretching back to the 19th century. This led him todecide that engineers were essential to the city’s
prosperity. He therefore called for ideas from universities throughout the world for the creation of a university of applied science, and conducted interviews withlarge numbers of entrepreneurs, university presidents
and other individuals within the city. We can readily
imagine that major universities would be eager to
respond to a call from New York City.
In Japan, Tokyo’s importance to national strategy
will only increase in the 21st century. Unfortunately,
discussion at present tends to focus on the excessive
concentration of population and industry in the city. It
goes without saying, however, that what we need is agreater focus on increasing Tokyo’s appeal from theglobal perspective. This issue of MyVision offers free
discussion of visions of Tokyo that engage with the
21st century.

Reiko Kanda, NIRA Executive Vice President

National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA)
4-20-3 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-6034, Japan(URL: http://www.nira.or.jp/english/)(Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nira.japan)
For more information㸸 info@nira.or.jp
Tel +81-3-5448-1735
Fax +81-3-5448-1744
Copyright ‫ ׉‬2014 by National Institute for Research Advancement