Issues in Tama New Town, the largest new town in Japan

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1 Issues in Tama New Town, the largest new town in Japan 1. The largest new town in Japan With the sharp increase in Tokyo s population, suburban expansion was inevitable. During the 60s and 70s, the population in Tokyo Metropolis (four prefectures of Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa) had increased by 61% from 17.9 to 28.7 million people. The increase was large compared to the 24% increase for the same period for Japan as a whole and the 16% increase in Tokyo Metropolis for the two decades that followed. (Source) National Census Figure: Increase in Population (1960 = 100) Tama New Town is the largest new town in Japan, covering 2,980 ha over four cities and located 30 km west of Tokyo s city center. Tama New Town was planned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 1965 and the first residents moved there in Approximately 200,000 people presently live in the new town, but the population has remained level for the past several years and it appears that the planned capacity of 300,000 people will not be reached. The concept of building the new town was live, work, learn and play surrounded by rich nature, but in reality, live became the central function with many residents spending an hour on the train to commute to Tokyo s central business district. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Housing Corporation, the former Housing and Urban Development Corporation, and private corporations are the housing developers for Tama New Town. Among them, the former Housing and Urban 1

2 Development Corporation, a national agency, was the largest housing provider accounting for more than 50% of houses throughout the new town. The role of the private sector was mainly providing owned detached houses. As for housing types, the number of attached houses (apartments and condominiums) is approximately 15 times as many as detached houses. Table: Number of Houses Provided in Tama New Town Data as of The Housing and Urban Development Corporation is a national public corporation now restructured into the Urban Renaissance Agency. (Source) The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Thirty Years of Tama New Town Past, Present and Future (1998) 2. Issues of aging society As new towns typically begin with nuclear families with household heads in their 30s and 40s, population aging is now becoming a serious issue including in Tama New Town. The level of population 65 years old and older, 11% in 2004 in Tama New Town, was lower than 18% for Tokyo as a whole, but the level of aged population there is expected to surpass that of Tokyo and even Japan in the near future. The insufficiencies of new towns for the coming aged society have been pointed out for many years. New towns lack institutions for the elderly such as elderly homes and elderly day care. Medium-height apartments three or four stories high built during the initial stages do not have elevators. Spaces outside residences as well as public domains are not designed to be barrier-free, which is today s standard. The floor plan of residential areas is inflexible to changes in response to life stages and the composition of family members. Transportation becomes a challenge for the elderly. The topography in Tama New Town is generally hilly and car-oriented. 2

3 The Tokyo Government and the municipalities concerned are presently applying policies and measures to make Tama a sustainable community with a better balance between life and work. Also, nonprofit sectors are emerging to handle social issues ranging from elderly welfare to safety and from protecting the environment to promoting local economy. Topics for Discussion 1. How and where were planned communities developed in your country in response to the sharp population increase in metropolitan areas? 2. Who are the main housing providers for your country s new towns public sector or private sector? 3. Are the demographics of new towns in your country similar to the situation of Tama New Town, Japan? 4. What are the issues of new towns in your country? 5. How do new towns in your country tackle these issues? 3

4 Tokyo Metropolitan Summit 1. Summit and regional coordination As is often seen in huge cities, the Tokyo Metropolis is composed of several local governments. Tokyo, as the core of the metropolis, is governed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa are Tokyo s neighboring prefectures respectively located north, east and south of Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolitan Summit, initiated in 1979, plays an increasingly significant role year by year. As there is no formal regional government entity in which more than two prefectures participate, it is difficult to establish policies and programs for the entire Tokyo Metropolis area, and even local issues brought up by a prefecture sometimes conflict with those in other prefectures. The Summit is an attempt to coordinate regional matters in the metropolis where 33 million people reside. Not only the governors of the four prefectures concerned (Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa), but also the mayors of four cabinet-order designated cities in the region (Yokohama, Kawasaki, Chiba and Saitama) participate in the Summit. 2. Issues dealt with in the Summit The objective of the Summit is stipulated as through the long-term visions of governors and mayors concerned, to proactively collaborate in addressing regional issues for the sake of enhancing the total condition of human life by utilizing the enormous regional vitality possessed in common. The organization of the Summit is shown on the next page. The Summit has various committees, meetings and task forces. Each of the three committees has a homepage aimed at the general public. The Committee on Environmental Issues wages a campaign to prevent global warming, and the Committee s Air Quality Task Force promotes diesel car emission gas control through its homepage Blue Sky Network. The Committee on Waste Management disseminates information on recycling as well as educating students about the importance of waste management. The Committee on Disaster Prevention urges residents to follow through on preparedness for a great earthquake. 4

5 Committees/ Meetings Sub-committees/ Meetings Task Forces Governors/ Mayors Summit Meeting of Division Managers in Policy Planning Waste Management Environmental Issues Disaster Prevention Meeting of Directors in Policy Planning Executive Meeting Executive Meeting Capital Functions Decentralization Administration Waste Reduction and Recycling Proper Disposal Air Quality Water Quality Greening Policy Earthquake Management Joint Disaster Drill Regional Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Figure: Organization of the Tokyo Metropolitan Summit Additionally, the Summit discusses current metropolitan topics. During the latest Summit, members agreed to promote informal business attire with no ties during the summer in order to reduce energy consumption. Among other topics discussed are measures against hay fever, joint plans for issuing local public bonds, Tokyo Metropolis stance on decentralization, fare reduction of the Tokyo Bay-crossing expressway and so forth. Although it may be difficult for the Summit to reach a consensus on every matter, it is a unique and precious opportunity for executive policymakers in the Tokyo Metropolis to exchange views and coordinate actions and processes. Topics for Discussion 1. Does your country have a formal regional government entity for a metropolis? If so, how does it function? How does it collaborate with local entities such as provinces and cities? 2. Which fields should your country focus on through regional government entities? 3. If regional government entities are weak in your country, what are the reasons? What recommendations do you have to rectify the situation? 5