Greetings
In a global society seeking a new order, municipal governments should share theirvision for their city with its citizens, and implement it in a strategic way.
Last year, we established a committee to discuss ways to make Kanazawa a city forwhich people can take responsibility, as well as a city in which they can take pride.
Based on comments provided by that committee, we established a new committee
this year to discuss prospects for the city and to make proposals. In addition, theopinions of many citizens were collected, and we established our vision of “Aiming toMake Kanazawa a Hub of International Exchange”.
The people of Kanazawa have preserved and cultivated characteristics of the citysuch as its history, traditions, academic accomplishments and culture. The principles
for city planning, which have been handed down through the generations, have madeKanazawa attractive and dignified. This is evidenced by the fact that Kanazawa is on
the lists of the League of Historical Cities and the Creative Cities Network, and is rated
highly both in Japan and abroad.
With the vision of “Aiming to Make Kanazawa a Hub of International Exchange”,
we will proceed to the next step by leveraging the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen
Super Express Route, while retaining our principles of city planning. We plan to makethe most of the values of Kanazawa that have developed so far in order to gather
people, things and information from Japan and abroad, to create new values throughexchange, and to develop in a sustainable way.
Developing Kanazawa into a ‘Hub of International Exchange’ not only requires
the municipal government to be independent; the citizens should be independent aswell. It is important for each citizen to be aware of his or her role and relationships
with other people in society. By cooperating with one another, we will be able to makeKanazawa a proud city.
We hope that this vision for the city will enhance people’s interest and understandingof city planning, and promote collaboration between the government and citizens.
In parallel, we will endeavor to establish an environment to make Kanazawa a city thatprovides opportunities for many people.
Lastly, I would like to express my appreciation to the citizens who provided their input,and to all of the people involved in the establishment of this vision for their support
and cooperation.
March 2013

Yukiyoshi Yamano
Mayor of Kanazawa

ⅠPremise

Aiming to Make Kanazawa

a “Hub of International Exchange”

1 Trends of the Times

・The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake clarified contradictions in our civilized society.
・Ways of life and society changed.
・We became more interested in the planning of a safe, secure city, and in recyclable energy.
・We now require a society that enables us to live a rich life in a humane manner.
・ Local governments are increasingly expected to play an important role in creating new values,
something that is difficult for the national government to accomplish.

2Features of Kanazawa

LocationWith the completion of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Super Express railway line to Kanazawa,
Tokyo will be included in the area within a two-and-a-half-hour ride.
As Kanazawa is located in the center of the coastal area along the Sea of Japan, it has an advantage
with regard to exchanges with South Korea, China and other countries in East Asia.
Dignity
Kanazawa has developed through the use of its distinct historical, traditional, academic and culturalfeatures.
Kanazawa is on the lists of the League of Historical Cities and the Creative Cities Network,
which has given the city dignity.
Industries
Kanazawa has abundant traditional arts and crafts, as well as a unique industrial structure,
which includes many fields that are well coordinated with regard to exchanges of people, goods andinformation.
Our unparalleled craft techniques are competitive on the world market.
Exchanges
Hokuriku Expressway and Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway have the potential to become new goldenroutes for sightseeing in Japan.
The city’s excellent creativity in academic fields, architecture and contemporary art gives it
the potential of becoming a center for sightseeing.
Community
Kanazawa has had a long tradition of autonomy since feudal times, and its citizens have a deep
attachment to the city and awareness of the necessity for cooperation.
The citizens’ sense of solidarity and cooperation originates from the vibrant activities of town
councils and community centers, as well as activities for welfare and disaster prevention.

3 Kanazawa’s Agendas

1）Response to the age of Shinkansen Super Express
We should construct an active community and leverage Shinkansen Super Express to full advantage
in order to attract more visitors to our city.
2）Promotion of exchanges
We should promote exchanges with the cities and towns along the Hokuriku Shinkansen line,
and with the members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
3）Enhancement of urban functions in the central area
We should enhance the urban functions of the districts along the main axis of the city, as well as
the functions for gatherings and exchanges among people.
4）Shift to an environment-friendly city
We should renounce a lifestyle based on excessive energy consumption, by making it possible forpeople and nature to coexist.
5）Construction of a safe city
We should also aim to construct a city where people can live safely without having to worry,by preparing for great natural disasters.
6）Establishment of new communities
We should establish a new type of community that values people’s ties and cooperation.

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Ⅱ

Prospects for Kanazawa

Making Kanazawa a “ Hub of International Exchange”― A Proud City Created by the People ―The City of Kanazawa has preserved and enhanced its distinctive, incomparable assets

in academic and cultural fields. The city now needs to maintain those assets andcreate new, characteristic values. To that end, it is most important to make the city

a hub of exchange for people, goods and information. We aim to make our citya “ hub of international exchange”.

AssetsHistory, tradition,academic achievements,culture

Exchanges of people,

× Exchanges goods and information

Landscape,Crafts, arts, Industries

Enhancement ofurban functions
Increase in business opportunities

Improvement of the city’ s attractiveness

Creationof New Values

Using the characteristics of the historical cityand facilitating innovation

Creating new values through exchanges

Distributing information through exchanges

A Proud City Created by the People
Citizens’ Cooperation

2Ties/Supports

A Safe, Secure City

Ⅲ

Aiming to Make Kanazawa

Main Policies

a “Hub of International Exchange”

In order to become a hub of international

exchange while responding to changes of thetimes, we must enhance our functions forinternational exchange by using the advantages
we have developed.

Night view of the city from Utatsuyama Park

1 Industry creation

・Enhancement of the city’s functions as the basis ofan exchange network
・Creation of new industrial fields
・Expansion of business opportunities

Kanazawa Creative Venture
Contest2 Academic culture

・Cooperation with local institutions of higher education
・Improvement of facilities for international conventions
・Invitation of MICE
(Meeting,Incentive,Convention/Congress and Event/Exhibition)

3 Tourism

・Development of sports facilities for international
exchanges
・Setup of attractive wide-area sightseeing routes
・Increase in evening tourist attractions

4 Transportation infrastructure

・Expansion of the transportation network
・Enhancement of international distribution centers
・Improvement of international tourist attractions

5 Communities

・Citizens’ engagement in city planning
・Enhancement of the functions for lifelong learning
・Exchanges among regions and generations

Student's Volunteers of snow
shovel3

ⅣPrinciples

We have agreed on seven principles
that are to be indispensable elements
in our city planning.

Higashi Chaya District

Attractiveness

Enhancement of the cities’ features

We will preserve traditions and achievementsin academic and cultural fields that havebeen handed down since feudal times, while
enhancing the characteristics and attractivenessof Kanazawa. This will be realized byenhancing the city’s function as a focus ofvarious networks as a member of the UNESCO
Creative Cities Network.

Development through traditionand creation

・Use of historical and cultural assets
・Promotion of a creative city
・Preservation and development of traditional culture
・Creation and distribution of new cultures

Use of assets in academic fields
and tourism
・Invitation of MICE
・Enhancement of tourism
・Promotion of sports

・Use of the accomplishments
of institutions of higher
education
21st Century Museum ofContemporary Art,Kanazawa

Creating the city
Enhancement of urban functions

We will construct a dignified cityscape that isin harmony with people’s lives, and improvethe urban functions of the districts along
the main axis of Kanazawa, which includes
Korinbo and Katamachi. We will also improve
the transportation network and information
infrastructure to enhance the function of thecity as a hub.

4City with dignity and functionality

・Promotion of a city with dignity
・Urban functions integrated in a compact area
・Well-harmonized urban structure
・Promotion of commerce
・Establishment of a transportation network
・Establishment and enrichment of an information
infrastructure

Hub functions

・Improvement of thewide-area transportationinfrastructure
・Improvement of roads
・Improvement of regionaltransportation networks

Preservation of attractive
townscapeAiming to Make Kanazawa

a “Hub of International Exchange”

Creating things
Creating dynamism

We aim to vitalize manufacturing industries,
and distribute information about advanced
technologies in Kanazawa in order to increase
markets, support entrepreneurs and attract
companies to the city. As for agriculture andforestry, we support workers engaged in thesefields, create Kanazawa Brand and vitalize
mountainous areas.

Creating people
Creating the future

We will improve environments for raisingchildren by increasing subsidies, creatingbalance between private life and work,and promoting education so that people canappreciate their city and be proud of it. We will
also implement measures to produce young
people who will play an important role inmanufacturing, culture, the arts, and regionalactivities.

Creating environments
Living with nature

We will introduce recyclable energy, promote
an ecological lifestyle, and reuse waste in order todecrease the impact on the environment.
We will preserve water quality, naturalenvironments, fields and forests in order tocoexist with the nature.

Global networks

・Promotion of craft industries
・Vitalization of manufacturing
・Support of entrepreneurs
・Invitation of companies

Sustainable development ofagriculture and forestry
・Promotion of agriculture
・Promotion of forestry
・Use of mountainous areas

Use of mountainous areas bycitizens

Rich human nature

・Improvement of environments for raisingchildren・Promotion of unique education

Raising the next generation
・Training of young
people in various
industries
・Training of young
people who will be
engaged in regional
activities

Environment-friendliness・Independence in energy
・Formation of a recycling-oriented society
・Promotion of ecological activities

Providing a comfortable life

・Preservation of a safe and comfortable living
environment
・Preservation of the naturalenvironment
・Preservation of the versatilefunctions of agriculturalland and forests
Introduction of recyclable energy

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Aiming to Make Kanazawa

a “Hub of International Exchange”

Creating a lifestyle

Disaster Preparedness

We will establish a system to decrease disasterdamage by securing lifelines and increasing
people’s awareness of disaster prevention.
We will promote activities to help people leada healthy life, both mentally and physically,
and improve welfare for the elderly, as well as
regional medicine.

Healthy life

Living safely

・Establishment of a disaster-response system
・Enhancement of the system for fires andemergency medicine
・Support for handicapped people
・Support for mental and physical health・Cooperation andenrichment ofhealth , medical
and welfare hubs

Development of disaster prevention facilities

Creating ties
Promoting cooperation

We will produce people who will carry out
city planning cooperatively, and promote
city planning through the creativity and fresh
ideas of students. We will improve functionsfor lifelong learning in order to facilitatecommunication between the generations, andpromote the elderly’s participation in society.

6

Regional communities

・Promotion of citizens’ cooperation
・Promotion of students’ regional activities
・Support of community activities
・Establishment of a system to help people remain
active throughout their lives

Independence of the city・Improvement of government
services・Establishment of sustainableadministrative and fiscal
foundations

Kanazawa Student Community
Civic Center