1. Foreword

Our world is in a constant state of flux, and it continues to change at an ever-increasing pace. There exists a pressing need for comprehensive security due to growing geopolitical risks, intensifying competition over energy and resources, and, as a consequence, rising prices. Tokyo is also caught in the middle of this complex web of shifting global trends. Climate change is causing extreme weather events of never-before-seen proportions, and our country’s birth rate continues to decline at an accelerating rate. When confronted with these harsh realities, I am reminded of the keen insight of Goto Shinpei, the seventh mayor of the city of Tokyo who later, as President of the Bureau for Reconstruction of the Imperial Capital, turned the unprecedented crisis of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake into an opportunity for Tokyo’s growth. Now is the time when we must once again devise a far-sighted plan for Tokyo that will be a game changer, in order to ensure the happiness of each and every resident of our city, as well as the happiness of our children and grandchildren.

We will not allow ourselves to be caught up in the maelstrom of change that threatens to swallow up Japan and Tokyo. With a wide perspective and new ideas not bound by precedent, we will sow the seeds of the future and work to make them bloom.