Typhoons and Other Disasters Force Japan to Rethink its City vs Rural Living Plans for the Future
Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
Greater Tokyo took a major hit earlier this month from Typhoon Faxai, which stopped regional transport and knocked out power in the eastern prefecture of Chiba.
Ever since the hit, some media coverage has highlighted the difficulties Japan has in coping with the disaster. There were delays in restoring lifeline services (electricity and water) and this week attention shifted to the plight of local authorities trying to deal with the debris.
[...] At first glance, Typhoon Faxai's devastation might seem to confirm the argument for regional decentralization versus urban density.
But this disaster is drawing attention to the middle ground between these polarized scenarios. For example, an article in Japan's financial daily news Nikkei argued that a combination of disasters, population decline and aging infrastructure may require a strategic retreat into compact and networked cities.
A similar argument was outlined in much greater detail in a report three years earlier from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Endorsing Japan's 2015 National Spatial Strategy, the OECD highlighted the goal of promoting a compact and networked settlement pattern. The OECD pointed out that striking a balance between centralization and decentralization would help bolster cities without writing off the regions.
Under this strategy, three city-regions (Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya) are seen as vital to national prosperity. Communities outside these metropolitan areas are encouraged to network with them to share health, waterworks, power and other essential services.
There are already indications Typhoon Faxai is accelerating the policies to realize compact and networked cities.
But more action is needed to alleviate the dangerous over-concentration of functions, such as government and business, in the Tokyo area. Typhoons are hardly the only hazard.
For example, forecasts indicate Tokyo is likely to be hit by a major earthquake within the next 30 years. The current effort to move functions out of Tokyo should be expanded.
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