OVERVIEW OF TOKYO

TOKYO’S HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, AND POPULATION

Geography of Tokyo

Tokyo Metropolis is located in the southern Kanto region, positioned in approximately the center of the Japanese archipelago. It is bordered to the east by the Edogawa River and Chiba Prefecture, to the west by mountains and Yamanashi Prefecture, to the south by the Tamagawa River and Kanagawa Prefecture, and to the north by Saitama Prefecture.

The Tokyo Megalopolis Region, or Greater Tokyo Area, is made up of Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Kanagawa, and Chiba. This area is home to around 28% of Japan’s total population. The National Capital Region is made up of Tokyo and the seven surrounding prefectures of Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Yamanashi.

Tokyo Metropolis is a metropolitan prefecture comprising administrative entities of special wards and municipalities. The “central” area is divided into 23 special wards (ku in Japanese), and the Tama area is made up of 26 cities (shi), 3 towns (machi), and 1 village (mura). The 23 special-ward area and the Tama area together form a long, narrow stretch of land, running about 90 kilometers east to west and 25 kilometers north and south. The Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands, two island groups in the Pacific Ocean, are also administratively part of Tokyo, despite being geographically separated from the metropolis. The islands have between them two towns and seven villages. In addition, islands comprising the most southern and most eastern lands of Japan also fall under the administrative district of Ogasawara-mura; these are, respectively, the Okinotorishima Islands, which have an exclusive economic zone of about 400,000 square kilometers, and Minamitorishima Island.

The overall population of Tokyo is about 12.99 million (as of October 1, 2009), and the area is about 2,188 square kilometers. The climate is generally mild.

Map of Japan	Tokyo Metropolis and Surrounding Prefectures

The 23 Special-ward Area

The total area covers about 622 square kilometers. The population has been showing an upward trend, with 8.80 million residents—a population density of about 14,152 persons per square kilometer—as of October 1, 2009.

Commercial and business facilities are heavily concentrated in the ward area. This part of Tokyo has a very well-developed public transportation network, which makes for convenient transit and shopping within the area. But there are many challenges that must be addressed: An increase in offices and other business facilities has led to a decline in its residential land use. Spaces to ensure comfortable residence are disappearing as a consequence of a diminishing livable waterfront environment and greenery. Great concerns exist about earthquake disasters in areas with close-set wooden housing. Delays are seen in development of urban infrastructure such as roads in wards on the periphery of the ward area.

The Tama Area

The Tama Area covers about 1,160 square kilometers. Its population, like that of the ward area, has been showing a slight increase, reaching 4.16 million—a population density of about 3,586 persons per square kilometer—as of October 1, 2009.

This area is urbanized as it is adjacent to the ward area, but also has a beautiful natural environment including lakes, rivers, and green areas. Moreover, strong industrial capability and rich human resources made available through the concentration of universities, high-tech industries, and research institutes, make this area a region with high potential for an array of developments. The Tama area is taking on an increasingly important position within not only Tokyo Metropolis, but the entire Greater Tokyo Area as well. At the same time, however, it faces issues such as delayed development of urban infrastructure including north-south roads and railways, and reduction of the natural environment as a result of developments.

The Islands

The Islands have a total area of about 406 square kilometers. The island population is continuing to fall and currently stands at 28,000 (as of October 1, 2009), with a population density of 68 persons per square kilometer.

This area possesses a rich natural environment abundant with marine resources. However, the islands are small, geographically isolated, financially weak, and are faced with the important task of improving living conditions through development of the marine and air transportation network and medical care. There is a shortage of future labor to carry on with the agriculture and fisheries industries, which support the island economies, as young people leave the islands and aging of the population advances. Tourism also remains sluggish due to the continuing transportation problems and the changing demands of tourism.