PRINCIPAL POLICIES OF THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT

"TOKYO'S BIG CHANGE: THE 10-YEAR PLAN"

In December 2006, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government formulated "Tokyo's Big Change: The 10-Year Plan" (hereinafter the 10-Year Plan), which presents Tokyo's vision of the city in the Olympic year of 2016, and the direction of Tokyo's policies that will be taken to achieve these goals.

In August 2006, Tokyo was chosen as Japan's candidate city for the 2016 Olympic Games. Just as the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games led to the remarkable development of Tokyo's urban infrastructure, completely changing the cityscape of the metropolis, the hosting of the 2016 Games will provide a major opportunity for the mature city of Tokyo to be transformed into an even more functional and attractive metropolis. While the nation's total population is decreasing with the graying of Japanese society, due to factors such as an increase in residents moving to Tokyo from the surrounding areas, Tokyo's population is expected to continue its upward trend to become a projected 13 million in ten years' time. This makes it crucial for Tokyo to draw up a realistic map of the near future based on an accurate understanding of these trends and the past progress and achievements of metropolitan administration.
To this end, the 10-Year Plan was formulated to achieve an even higher level of maturity leveraged by the opportunity presented by the Olympic bid, and to also serve as a strategic plan that prioritizes policy implementation and ensures results. In addition, the pioneering initiatives that will be taken over the next decade will serve to make Tokyo a new urban model for the 21st century to be presented to cities around the world. An overview of the 10-Year Plan is as follows.

Achieve higher levels of maturity

Tokyo is a city with a tradition and history that stretches back over 400 years to the establishment of the Edo Shogunate here, and has flourished as a modern city for nearly 140 years. So that Tokyo can aspire to reach even higher levels of maturity following its expansion and growth in the 20th century, it would be necessary for the following three initiatives to be taken.

(1)Resolve the remaining "negative legacies" of the 20th century

Tokyo has not been able to construct new roads to keep up with the rapid expansion of urban districts; this is particularly notable in the significant delay in development of loop roads compared to radial roads. The resultant chronic traffic congestion is the largest weakness of Tokyo, and is a negative legacy of the 20th century that must be overcome by completing the three loop roads, which are integral to the traffic network in the Greater Tokyo Area, and other major roads.

(2)Present a more functional and attractive Tokyo

Along with achieving pleasant and highly convenient urban living by fully utilizing the ease and comfort that would be generated by alleviating traffic congestion, it would be essential to promote urban development incorporating universal design so that everyone can appreciate urban life.

(3)Make Tokyo a "beautiful and safe city" to enhance Tokyo's overall value and credibility, and leave this as a legacy to future generations

The value and credibility of Tokyo in the global community will be enhanced by making it a safe and beautiful city. This will be achieved through initiatives such as landscaping that focuses on views from the water, and concentrated efforts for measures against earthquake disasters―an urgent challenge facing Tokyo. This precious legacy will also be handed down to the following generations.