Japan is Rethinking its Cities

Like many developed countries, Japan faces an important challenge – a rapidly aging society, which is caused by a low birth rate. In fact, Japan’s population is aging the fastest, followed by that of Germany, France, England and USA. In 2005, Japan’s population was about 127 million, and it is expected that in 2050, it will decrease by as much as 50 million, with 65-and-older population representing 35% . Young people postpone marriage, and think twice before having children. Population decrease usually leads to lower economic growth, lower public investment and services, high social assistance and health costs due to a growing number of elderly people, high tax burden on the working citizens, decreasing vitality of local communities, etc. How is Japan’s government approaching this issue? Instead of increasing its reliance on immigration like other developed countries, (Canada, US) Japan is testing alternatives ways of dealing with these demographic changes. In fact, the Japanese central government encourages sub-national governments to design the most appropriate solutions for individual local communities. National and regional development plans are being reviewed so as to adjust to these tendencies. New city planning techniques reflect this reorientation. For example, compact cities aim to control sprawl by concentrating all vital city functions in a clearly defined and well-developed city center. Key features of a compact city are: reduced environmental burden, aggregated city functions in neighborhoods, increased habitability, elimination of traffic congestion, organic transportation systems and improved disaster prevention systems.

Compact cities sound good. We'll have to see how well they work in Japan, and maybe it will be be worthwhile replicating them in other parts of the world.