23 26 JUNE 202 Masaki YOSHIDA Assistant Director, Saitama Regional Branch Urban Development Corporation Saitama, Japan Unified Promotion of Housing and Railway Development in Urban Area
Unified Promotion of Urban and Railway Development in Metropolitan Areas Masaki YOSHIDA Assistant director, Urban Development Corporation Unified promotion of the development of both a new railway "Tsukuba Express" and urban areas along the rail line stands as an important project for the reorganization of the urban structure in the Metropolitan area. As a result of a sharp decline in land prices, however, more and more people have come to live in the center of Tokyo recently, and urban development in the suburban area stands at a turning point in its progress. Now it is time for us to devise a strategic development for this project. The municipalities along the rail line, i.e., Tokyo metropolitan government and three prefectural governments plus the UDC, set themselves the goal of achieving regional development in their programs and projects concerning infrastructure development, land use, provision of functions, working in close cooperation and partnership with each other. 1. Significance of the project In the 1980's it became very dif ficult for p eople in the Tokyo metropolitan area to purchase housing due to skyrocketing of land prices, and the government framed a policy for the unified promotion of land countermeasures and accessing transportation development. After this settlement the government enacted the Special Measure Act for the Unified Promotion of Land and Railway Development in Urban Areas, thus starting a comprehensive project with the following four concepts as its base: i. Development of a transportation system in the northeastern part of the Greater Tokyo area, ii. Alleviation of congestion on the existing railway lines, iii. Accelerated increase in housing land supply in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, iv. Development of industrial infrastructure in the area along the rail line and the formation of business core cities. Northern area Connected greater ring cores Tsukuba Express Western area Ring-shaped linked core cities Eastern area Greater Tokyo area Figure 1 Targeted "Dispersed network structure" in the Metropolitan area
Population?i1,000?j Population?i1,000?j 2. Present state of the Metropolitan area Japan's long-term economic slump has caused the restructuring of corporations, which led to a greatly increased supply of land in the central area of Tokyo and a continuous sharp decline in the price of land. As a result, a lot of land has been supplied in the central area of Tokyo and living in the central area also has accelerated. 500 400 300 200 100 0 1974 Table 1 Land price and nominal GDP 1976 1978 1980 Nominal GDP 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 296.4 271.6 Commercial d 1992 1994 Residential dis 1996 1998 436.6 189.7 103.3 2000 2002 (Note) *The publicly assessed value of land for the residential and commercial districts are shown in index (1974=100). *Nominal GDP is shown in index (1973=100). 130,000 128,000 126,000 124,000 122,000 120,000 118,000 116,000 114,000 112,000 35,000 34,000 33,000 32,000 2000 2000 Japan's total Po Population in th 2005 127,700,00 2005 2010 2015 2010 Year 2015 Year 2020 2025 2030 34,600,00 2020 2025 2030 Table 2 Estimation of population in the future (quoted from the Population Problem Research Institute) According to the report by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Land and Transportation, the publicly assessed value of land this year has fallen by 5.9% over last year on an average, marking a decline of land price for 11 years running. The value of the residential district has fallen by 5.2%, and the commercial district, by 8.3% respectively. Compared with its peak in 1991, the publicly assessed value of land has fallen by 36% in the residential district, which is the same level as the one in 1987 when the bubble economy had not come yet. Meanwhile the value in the commercial district has fallen by 62%, which is at the same level as the one in 1980 (See Table 1). Recession as well as closing down of local large-sized commercial stores and factories has caused a great fall of land price and the fall has increased again after two years. There is a tendency for prices to stop falling in the central area of Tokyo, while the residential district in the provinces has fallen by an increased amount. Moreover, a fall in population is predicted due to the lower birthrate. According to an estimation by the Population Problem Research Institute, Japan's total population will reach its peak in 4 years, in the year 2006, and later, it will go on decreasing over a long period of time. Meanwhile it is expected that population in the Metropolitan area will be on the same level as the one in the year 2000 (about 33 million) until the year 2030. The population in the
Tokyo Metropolitan area accounted for 9.5% of Japan's total population in 2000 (about 126 million), and that of Saitama and Chiba Prefectures, which lie adjacent to Tokyo and through which "Tsukuba Express" passes, will go on increasing up to the year 2015. A large-scale New Town development has been promoted since the 1960's to tackle the sharp increase in population in the Metropolitan area. As a result, it is estimated that a lot of housing land will be supplied from now on. This means urban development in the suburbs is at its turning point. Thus, the circumstances in which this project finds itself have changed rapidly and it is imperative for us to find strategies in our development. The strategies may involve: wide-range administrative cooperation, allotment of roles among administrative bodies, and giving a new appeal to each city. Meanwhile, we are aiming to reorganize the urban structure through the development of business core cities and transportation network which connects those cities, thus decentralizing overconcentration of urban functions and forming the "Dispersed network structure" in the Tokyo metropolitan area (See Figure 1). This project is expected to play an important part in the reorganization of urban areas. 3. Characteristics of this project 43 percent of the whole site for the railway development has been acquired by urban development projects, while other remaining sites are to be acquired through direct purchasing or setting up of registered leasehold right by railway implementators. Most of about 72 ha of land for railway has been acquired so far. I baraki Tsukuba (1) Outlines of the project According to the railway project program, the railway route will extend about 58 km between Akihabara and Tsukuba; will have 20 stations; and will be about 45 minutes' ride. At present it takes about 2 hours from Akihabara to Tsukuba. They aim to start its operation in 2005. Saitama Kashiwa C hiba (note) Emphasized development area; Cores of the unified promotion of urban and railway development Specified area ; Area where supply of a great number of housing is expected Akihabara T okyo Specified area Emphasized development area Figure 2 Tsukuba Express and urban development project areas
In choosing the location of stations and the railway routes, good connection with the existing railways, upgrading of passengers' convenience and consistency with the regional development program are taken into consideration. 25% of the whole railway sites are underground, especially in the Tokyo area, and the rest of the sites are elevated. Construction of railway used to interrupt continuity of roads and divide the area into parts, but in the case of this project, that problem has been solved. distance Figure 3 Section of Tsukuba Express rail line Urban development project prog ram plans to carry out the land readjustment project in 20 districts on 3,200 ha of land with a projected population of about 260,000 inhabitants. Development is being done in a way that each district has its characteristics, based on the regional development vision. The table below shows urban development project districts along the rail line. Name of Name of district Area Project Implementator Projected prefecture (ha) Population Tokyo Akihabara 9 Tokyo Metropolitan Government 1,000 Rokucho 69 Tokyo Metropolitan Government 8,300 Tokyo Total 78 9,300 Saitama Yashio west 99 Saitama Prefectural Government 10,400 Yashio central 72 Urban Development Corporation 7,500 Yashio east 88 Yashio City Government 9,100 Misato 115 Urban Development Corporation 12,900 Saitama Total 374 39,900 Ki 68 Chiba housing supply Corporation 6,800 Chiba Nishihirai 52 Nagareyama City Government 5,100 Undokoen 232 Chiba Prefectural Government 21,400 Shishigaichi 286 Urban Development Corporation 28,600 Kashiwa central 273 Chiba Prefectural Government 26,000 Kashiwa east 170 Urban Development Corporation 17,000 Chiba Total 1,081 104,900 Moriya 39 Moriya Town Government 3,800 Moriya east 40 Private association 2,400 Ibaraki Ina yawara 275 Ibaraki Prefectural Government 16,000 Kayamaru 293 Urban Development Corporation 21,000 Shimana 243 Ibaraki Prefectural Government 15,000 Nakanishi 168 Ibaraki Prefectural Government 11,000 Katsuragi 485 Urban Development Corporation 25,000 Nakane kontadai 190 Urban Development Corporation 16,000 Ibaraki Total 1,733 110,200 Grand total (20district) 3,266 264,300 Table 3 List of urban development project districts along the rail line
The figure below shows a flow of a specific project. In the first phase a "railway installation area" is prepared in planning the land readjustment project. The local government acquires land in the district prior to the start of the project for the purpose of creating sites for residential use, public facilities and railway use. In the second phase the land use plan is fixed and the land acquired prior to the start of the project is put together in the railway installation area through land replotting. In the third phase railway and infrastructure development is carried out, then the construction of housing starts. Later public facilities are constructed, and comprehensive urban development is completed. At present this project is at the beginning of the third phase. In the second phase we spent a great to deal with some of land owners in the railway installation area who objected to the removal of their houses. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Housing Park Land put together through land replotting Project area Railway installation area Land acquired prior to the start of project Railway installation area New station Commercial building Figure 4 A flow of packaged land readjustment project This project's 30 years' accumulated ripple effect on business (the amount of production induced) since the start of the project in 1996 is estimated at about 26 trillion yen (_26,000,000,000,000). Project Amount of direct investment (billion yen) Table 4 Estimated economic ripple effect Production induction effect (billion yen) Component ratio (%) Construction 917 3,190 12.3 Railway Operation 435 1,593 6.1 total 1,352 4,783 18.4 Housing development 2,593 9,067 34.9 Land readjustment 1,803 6,850 26.4 Urban Public investment 1,051 3,861 14.9 Private investment 393 1,410 5.4 total 5,840 21,188 81.6 Grand total 7,192 25,971 100.0
The table shows that direct investment on the railway (about 1.3 trillion yen) and the area along the rail line (about 5.8 trillion yen) will bring about the purchasing of building materials and payment to employees, which will cause an increase in demand for every industry and finally induces as much as about 3.6 times of production. This shows how much economic ripple effect this project has. (2) Cooperation conducted over a very wide area & sharing of tasks It is necessary to find what each district should be like and how development should be carried out, viewing districts as a whole from a wide perspective of Metropolitan level. Thus, the public bodies and organizations concerned have established a relationship of closer communication and cooperation over a wide range of matters over a long period of time. The table below shows implementators and fund raising for railway and urban development. Above all, local governments along the rail line play an important role in giving interest-free loans for railway development and subsidies for urban development. Implementators Raising funds Development of railways Metropolitan Intercity Railway Co., Ltd. (Constructed by the Japan Railway Construction Corporation) Local governments concerned. Investments from the private sector, Interest-free loans from the local governments concerned and the Transportation Facilities Development Corporation. Development of urban areas Tokyo Metropolitan government. Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki Prefectures. Municipalities along the rail line. The UDC, Private sectors. Subsidies from the Government and the local governments concerned. Raising funds by project implementators. Table 5 Role sharing in railway and urban development <1> Establishment of councils etc. "Mirai-daira & Ichisato development council " by prefectural governors concerned and the UDC (Urban Development Corporation) President to work out the project framework inclusing regional development vision; "Tsukuba Express project promotion council" by about 230 enterprises to support and promote this project from the private sector; "council for unified promotion of Tsukuba Express and urban development" by railway implementators and urban development implementators to coordinate with each other; have been set up respectively. Thus, various implementators take part in the project for its smooth promotion through holding the objective of regional development in common, and coordinating effectively the planning on land use and infrastructure development as well as schedules of railway and urban development, aiming at realization of a smooth, wide-area cooperation. Mirai-daira & Ichisato development promotion council Council for unified promotion of Tsukuba Express and urban development Tsukuba Express project promotion council etc. Figure5 Correlation between each council
<2> Working out of regional development vision This region has its natural feature and beautiful countryside, where people can enjoy the riches of nature-abundant suburban life. The railhead and terminal of the new railway, i.e., Akihabara I.T.(Information Technology) quarter and Tsukuba Science City have an accumulation of advanced functions. Moreover, along the rail line is located Kashiwa campus, Tokyo University, which has academic and research function. Also all kinds of industries are located here. This area has a potential to become a new industry creation zone of the highest level. Above all, the most distinctive characteristic of this area is its vast space compared with other areas of the Tokyo Region. This factor will make the area valuable through developing the railway. There are a variety of possibilities in the way of utilizing the space, but it is necessary to find what the area should be like and how development should be carried out. The bodies concerned, therefore, worked out the "Regional Development Vision" in close cooperation, for the purpose of sharing a principle and vision of appealing, vitalizing development of the area along the rail line, and of directing to urban development which is based on the idea of cooperation and task-sharing over the whole area. Three principles of regional development, five principles of urban development and the basic lines of regional development have been settled and these are being widely publicized. <Three principles of regional development> i. Realization of "suburban community" which opens up the new way of making a living and working This principle aims at supply of spacious, safe residential land which develop in a naturefriendly way, keeping pace with the existing community. It also aims to make a warm community which provides healthcare, welfare and child-care supporting. ii. Creation of new "industry functions" in Tokyo Metropolitan area Tries to make good use of brains in the community and promote the expansion of academic and research functions of the highest level and the exchange with them. Also develop the social surroundings and conditions so that entrepreneurs of venture business can make their challenge. iii. Encouragement of "cultural activities along the rail line areas" on a long-term perspective Inherits the natural features and culture of the region and encourages torchbearers of the culture as well as community and environment development. Also aims at establishing its own culture, focusing on country life, intelligent cultural exchange and international exchange.
High technology R & D typed industry Residential land attached with community garden Manufacturing industry Environmentally friendly devices including water circulation system SOHO center Placement of child-care supporting facilities at the railway stations Figure 6 Image of an ideal community and its activities <Five principles of urban development> i. Urban development which corresponds flexibly to the change of economic and social trends Develops urban areas which can correspond flexibly to the change of the times including economic conditions. Infrastructure development and land use, therefore, are phased in accordance with the growth of urban areas. ii. Town development designed in the light of residents Realizes a community where people can walk around the station barrier-free. also make inand-around the station area a base for child-care and elderly life provided with a variety of supporting functions. iii. Co-existence and harmonization of urban development area and surrounding areas Preserving the riches of nature and the rural district, develops the community, keeping pace with urban area. Arranges a place for interchange between urban residents and the existing one including farmers.
iv. Practice of community building through participation and collaboration In order to utilize the private sector's sense and power from earlier stage, forms a publicprivate collaboration system and framework. Through collaboration with people in the community or NPO, develops towns and maintains their living environment. v. Practice of a variety of land use measures To switch from land possession to land use, forms a system and framework of collaboration with the titleholder. Time-limited land use in accordance with the maturing process of the community can be applied. Southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture Ibaraki Northern part of Higashi-katsushika Saitama Chiba Southeast part of Saitama Central Tokyo ~ Downtown Tokyo Tokyo Figure 7 Zoning of "Mirai-daira, Ichisato"
<Basic lines of regional development> _ Southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture/ countryside area Advanced research functions, information infrastructure and water circulation systems etc spread out in a vast countryside. The Metropolitan Region Connecting Ring Road enables a connection across a wide area. R & D academic town core zone _ Northern part of Higashi-katsushika/ area covered in greenery In this ag ricultural area with a plentiful greenery, there are academic facilities and Tokatsu-techno-plaza as its nucleus. This area is endowed with the convenience of suburban life as well. Academic & new industry zone _ Southeast part of Saitama Prefecture/ water-friendly manufacturing industry area The new railway and the Joban Superhighway connects in radiating directions, and the Outer Tokyo ring road, in circular directions, across a wide area. This area is characterized by its unique waterfriendliness and manufacturing industries. Water-friendly activity zone _ Central Tokyo ~ Downtown Tokyo In the area from the center of Tokyo to the northeastern part, restructuring is to be conducted, utilizing the advantage of Akihabara and Asakusa as a base and of the new railway, as connecting functions. I.T.(information technology) & cultural zone
RAIL LINE Figure 8 Existing land use (Yashio district) Yashio station Figure 9 Land use plan (Yashio district) <3> Nickname of this area "Mirai-daira, Ichisato" After completion of the new railway, the areas along the Tsukuba Express Railway will have various activities, cooperation and exchanges as a community. Therefore, a nickname has been given to the area, which will help people focus on their image of this area. _ "Ichisato" is composed of "Ichi" which means one or city, and "Sato" which means a village or home, thus indicates unity, interchange and prosperity. Also indicates a "milestone" for life in the future. _ "Mirai-daira" is composed of "Mirai" which means future, and "daira" which represents an image of gentleness and peace, thus implying a town extending toward the future being created in the vast Kanto plains. 4.Tasks in the future
We are going to tackle the following issues: making-up of wide-range systems such as, cooperation between industry and the academic world to prompt creation of new industries; publication of attractive points and possibilities of the area through the regional development vision; and establishment of a framework on land ownership and its utilization which is adapted to the economic, social circumstances. Especially, encouragement of new industries will be focused. We are, therefore, investigating a strategy which will set the following three places as the centers for the promotion of new industries. "Tsukuba" which has the largest scale of research and development bodies in Japan; "Kashiwa" which has the University of Tokyo and many high technology industries; and "Akihabara" which aims to become an international center of I.T.(information technology), thus prompting many private enterprises to move into the area along this rail line from all over the country and abroad as well. Akihabara Tsukuba Express (IT center) Tsukuba Kashiwa Express (Academic center) Tsukuba (R&D center) <Tsukuba> Japan's largest center of R & D (research & development) which has 22 national research organizations, 65 private research institutes, Tsukuba University Advanced Hightechnology Research Center (TARA), superexpress information network "Tsukuba WAN (Wide Area Network)", the Industrial Technology Comprehensive Research Institute (with 1800 researchers) etc. <Kashiwa> Academic and industrial center which has Kashiwa campus, Tokyo University, Tokatsu Techno Plaza with 41 enterprises in the field of welfare & medical technology and biotechnology, and Kashiwa Science Park (40 ha, under construction). <Akihabara> I.T. (information technology) center which has as many as 650 I. T. related enterprises, and "Akihabara I.T. Center" where an international I.T. center including Allied Satellite Postgraduate School and New Business Setting-up Center is being developed. Figure 10 Image of Akihabara I.T. Center
Tsukuba Akihabara Figure 11 Image of superexpress information network