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## I nauguration of the Priority "Michi-no-Eki" (roadside station) Program

Since its inauguration in 1993, the Michi-no-Eki Program has spawned 1,040 stations nationwide to date. They attract many visitors, create regional employment, revitalize the economy, and upgrade resident services by taking advantage of local specialties and tourism resources.

The Priority “Michi-no-Eki” program that was just launched singles out exceptionally outstanding efforts and gives

Source) MLIT

Not only is its approach publicized broadly, but priority support is extended to it to facilitate the implementation of its projects while also working in accord with the concerned authorities.

prioritized assistance to them in conjunction with the authorities concerned, who view the Michi-no-Eki program as a powerful tool of growth strategy to provide excellent economic circulation through to the localities.

Figure 2-2-40 Examples of Diverse Effects of a Michi-no-Eki Evolving from Regional Ingenuities

## Attracts people with tourism

A village inhabited by 3,700 people plays host to 1.2 million tourists a year with its “agriculture + tourism” strategy. (Kawaba Denen Plaza, Kawaba Village, Gunma Prefecture)

## Appeal to people on migration

More than 100 people each year have come to consult the Michi-no-Eki for migration tips. So far, 17 families with a total of 34 members have migrated. (Oguni, Oguni-machi, Kumamoto Prefecture)

## Entice people with specialties – Through cross sector industry implementation, so called sixth industry, the benefits of employment and economic vitality are created

Agricultural producers directly participate in the management of the Michi-no-Eki by developing and selling processed food products, taking advantage of their specialties, and creating about 60 jobs.

Secure access to resident services –Compact hub formation functions (Takino-Haitaro, Kozagawa Town, Wakayama Prefecture)

Reinforce disaster preparedness

– An advanced disaster preparedness facility for a broad-area hub of disaster preparedness –

(Tono Kaze no Oka, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture)

Source) MLIT

## (3) Allied core metropolitan area

As reviewed in Section 2 of Chapter 1, the urban facilities located in a provincial city are defined to some extent by the population of the city. Provincial cities inhabited by less than several hundreds of thousands of people are expected to provide residents in those metropolitan areas with certain facilities, such as large shopping centers and schools. Among all urban facilities, those that are more advanced, such as colleges and central community hospitals, need to be maintained by adjoining cities allying with one another to form a metropolitan area on networks of roads, public transportation, ICT and so on. The allied core metropolitan area concept has been set forth to brace for a metropolitan area that is complete with facilities designed to propel economic growth in order to sustain a buoyant socio-economy while maintaining a certain size of in-sphere population in a depopulating society with declining birthrates and an aging population (Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economies: Comprehensive Strategy (Cabinet Council Decision, 27.12.14)). The job of forming allied core metropolitan areas makes it imperative to form an alliance that focuses not only on