2. For a truly rich, mature society supported by dynamism and more personal time

Path to the Tokyo 2020 Games will guide Tokyo to further heights

To realize a truly rich, mature society, we will firmly walk the path to the success of the Tokyo 2020 Games and push Tokyo to further heights.

Devoting all efforts as preparations gear up

With respect to the Olympic and Paralympic Village, we have started development of infrastructure such as roads at the planned construction site, taking the first step toward completion. Next month, we will choose a private developer to build the residential blocks and other facilities. In addition, with an eye to post-Games use of the area, we will also advance the study of urban development that incorporates the latest environmental technologies, including hydrogen energy and next generation fuel cells. We will build a strong public-private framework to steadily advance development.

Concerning Games venues as well, we have released an interim report on plans for post-Games usage. While preparing an environment that enables athletes to give their best performances is a priority, of course, we will continue to brush up these plans to make these facilities legacies that will be used and appreciated by residents of Tokyo long into the future.

Promoting the attractiveness of Tokyo as a city of culture

To make the Tokyo 2020 Games successful also as a festival of culture, we will refine the attractiveness of Tokyo as a city of culture.

The cultural programs to start after the Rio Games will feature performances that incorporate Tokyo’s many layers of arts and culture, from the traditional arts to modern art. We will also launch support projects to help raise interest in the programs. Furthermore, with the architectural works of Le Corbusier, which includes the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno, recently nominated to the World Heritage List, the birth of Tokyo’s first world cultural heritage site is just ahead. We will widely promote the ever growing appeal of Tokyo’s culture within Japan and abroad.

We have recently announced emergency measures to address growing concerns over a shortage of concert halls and theaters. We will newly establish an investigation committee, which will also study a long-term vision for concert halls and theaters.

Promoting understanding toward the disabled

With the Paralympic Games ahead, now is the time to promote understanding toward the disabled and realize a truly cohesive society.

Last month, on Ginza Chuo-dori Avenue, we held the NO LIMITS SPECIAL event, which gave participants the opportunity to experience the power of Paralympic sports. Top athletes captivated the over 20,000 spectators who came to the event with their impressive range of skills. This fiscal year, Olympic and Paralympic education started at all public schools in Tokyo. Through this program, which focuses on hands-on learning, we will nurture a spirit of volunteerism and acceptance of diversity. This morning, we were honored to have Lord Chris Holmes, who served as Director of Paralympic Integration for London 2012, speak to children directly about the thrill of the Paralympic Games at an elementary school here in Tokyo. Through learning, experiencing, and enhancing overall interest, we will raise enthusiasm to ensure the success of the Paralympic Games and work to promote understanding toward the disabled.

An environment where anyone can actively participate with peace of mind is true proof of a mature society

An environment where people can fully demonstrate their ambitions and capabilities, where productivity is enhanced, and where work-life balance is solidly maintained―the dynamism and personal time generated by this environment are what will further transform Tokyo. With this understanding, we will develop a society where all Tokyo residents can actively participate with peace of mind.

Responding to a graying population

Measures currently being advanced by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have been incorporated in “Japan’s Plan for Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens,” released by the central government last month. It includes measures to target the problem of children on waiting lists for child care by preparing child care options to accommodate more children and improving salaries and other working conditions for child care workers. We will continue to advance initiatives in cooperation with the central government and municipalities. In addition, we will set up a new investigation team to be headed by the vice governor, which will also study raising targets for establishment of child care services and the further enhancement of measures. In addition, by establishing child care facilities in parks by employing the National Strategic Special Zone system, when future plans are also included, capacity to accommodate about 1,000 children will be secured. We will further expand these types of initiatives.

With respect to responding to an aging society, a final report on the vision for a comprehensive regional care system was recently compiled. We will implement a wide range of measures, including those aimed at improving the foundation for long-term care services, measures for dementia, and support for securing care staff and reducing turnover, establishing a system where older citizens can feel safe about continuing to live in the community they are familiar with. I believe that this will help remove concerns over the future, and will also draw out the active social participation of each and every Tokyo resident. We will squarely confront the issue of an aging society and generate sustainable dynamism in a mature society.

Realizing a city where women shine

We will also promote the active participation of women in society from a variety of perspectives. The “White Paper on the Social Participation of Women” was released in the last fiscal year. In this white paper, which is the first of its kind issued by a local government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government proposes directions for initiatives with the aim of realizing a society where all women shine. To realize this goal, last week, we hosted a symposium where I also participated in the discussion as a panelist. At the end of this fiscal year, we will formulate the Plan for Promotion of the Social Participation of Women and set forth concrete measures. For measures that we can start on immediately, we will not wait until the plan is formulated, but implement them in advance as leading projects.

Reducing the burden of housework is one effective way to promote the active participation of women. We will utilize the valuable experience and skills of homemakers and older citizens to expand housekeeping support services. Moreover, we wish to study the active use of human resources from abroad through the special zones system, while referring to examples of forerunners, such as Kanagawa prefecture and Osaka city.

Curbing inequality

We must also work to break the cycle of poverty and curb the expansion of inequality. With regard to measures to address non-regular employment, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government was able to achieve a shift of 5,161 people to regular employment in the last fiscal year, which surpassed the target figure. From this fiscal year, we are significantly enhancing the subsidy system to encourage companies to make such transitions. We are also partnering with the central government to open a one-stop desk that can provide companies with support on such matters. We will accelerate initiatives taken by companies with the aim to have even more people become regularly employed. We will also deal with truancy and dropping out of school, which are issues that could force young people into non-regular employment. In the background of such issues are various challenges such as the student’s situation at school and the home environment. This makes it necessary to address the issue in a broad range of areas such as education, welfare and labor. We will thus establish a team made up of school social workers and others to roll out support in cooperation with the relevant agencies. Furthermore, with regard to strengthening the functions of the Education Support Center which supports truant children and students, a new expert council has been set up to launch studies. Through such efforts, we will bolster support to have such children and students return to school and become socially independent in the future.

Upholding Tokyo’s safety and security

Next, I will speak about upholding the safety and security of Tokyo citizens.

At the end of last fiscal year, we revised our initial response for a major earthquake directly hitting the capital, the Plan to Promote Earthquake Resistant Renovations, and the Urban Development Plan for Disaster-Resilience, which form the foundation of Tokyo’s disaster management. Other than working to strengthen first response, which is a key point in damage mitigation, we will expeditiously advance the formation of a disaster resilient city. Through use of the Disaster Preparedness Tokyo manual, disaster drills held four times a year, and other means, we will take sure steps to enhance abilities for residents to help themselves and each other. Tokyo’s disaster resilience will be enhanced from both tangible and nontangible aspects.

We will also continue to bolster our counterterrorism measures. Foul acts of terrorism targeting capital cities, including Paris last year, and Jakarta and Brussels this year, have been occurring one after another, and we must not allow optimism in Tokyo. I recently went to see the counterterrorism unit of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) assigned to Haneda Airport. This unit is responsible for the security of the airport 24 hours a day, and also partakes in practical training drills to deal with guns and explosives. When the Ise-Shima Summit was held the other day, security in Tokyo was also strengthened. Using skills gained through security activities and training, we will enhance our capabilities to prevent acts of terrorism.

We must also secure safety in cyberspace. At the Cyber Security Headquarters set up in the MPD, response capability is being strengthening through measures including analysis of the latest methods of cyberattacks and cultivation of human resources. Through the efforts of the Tokyo Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Cyber Security Support Network, which was jointly established by the public and private sectors, we will steadily advance support to SMEs, which tend to have insufficient measures in place due to human resource and financial limitations.

With regard to infectious diseases, concerns over Zika fever are increasing. In testing for mosquito-borne pathogens, in addition to the dengue virus, the Zika virus has been included among those tested. We will have full measures in place for the hot summer ahead.

Tokyo’s vitality to cleave a bright future for Japan

We will bolster policies for sustainable economic growth to ensure that Tokyo continues to be the city driving Japan’s future and always brimming with vitality.

Enhance Tokyo’s lure as a tourist destination

Last year, Tokyo welcomed 11.89 million foreign visitors. To have even more tourists visit Tokyo, we will roll out publicity on the Tokyo brand using the “& TOKYO” logo and catchline at Rio de Janeiro, which will be drawing the eyes of the world during the Rio Games. The course for the Tokyo Marathon, which has runners participating from around the world, has been changed to more strongly promote the history and culture of Tokyo. The runners will race through Kanda, Nihombashi, and Ryogoku, and finish at the goal line with Tokyo Station in the background. We will thus take various opportunities to drive home the attractiveness of Tokyo as a tourist destination.

The draft of the 2017 Action Program for Promotion of the Tourism Industry was released the other day. The creation of vibrancy in waterfront spaces and utilization of the Tama and island areas’ nature were presented as some of the directions to take. Last week, I visited a sake brewery, the only one in the special-ward area, which is promoting local tourism by leveraging the features of its location. We will conduct more discussions with experts while considering such community activities, and will build upon the contents of the draft to make more concrete proposals in the interim report scheduled to be released in November.

We will also promote more active use of boat transportation. For boat transportation to enhance a city’s dynamism, it would be indispensable to improve convenience and devise ways to attract people. This was also noted in the cases of London and New York. Using the private sector expertise of the “partner to boost boat transportation,” which was decided yesterday, we will work to develop an environment that will make boats more accessible to many people. Boat transportation can be used for commuting to work and school, and as a means for rescuing people and transporting relief during a disaster. We will fix this as a mode for transportation and sightseeing, which befits “Tokyo, the city of water,” while also cooperating with projects of the national government to advance our respective agendas.

Using traditional and latest technologies

From traditional skills to the latest technology, Tokyo’s superb technologies have huge potential. The TOKYO Teshigoto project, which aims to generate new value for Tokyo’s traditional crafts, is giving birth to many products fusing the historical skills of craftsmen and the sensibilities of designers. Through these products we will let the world know about Tokyo’s excellent technologies and open new markets.

With regard to sophisticated technologies, we recently opened the Tokyo Robot Industry Support Plaza, which will be the base for supporting small and medium-sized companies in developing robots. During my visit there, I was able to see the high performance of a robot that guides people according to their pace of movement, and felt certain that this sector has a future. We will also aim to adopt automated driving technology in BRT (bus rapid transit) linking the city center with the waterfront area to support safe and comfortable driving, including smooth acceleration and deceleration, and stopping close to the curb. To realize this, a memorandum of understanding on mutual cooperation was concluded with the Cabinet Office and private operators.

State-of-the-art technologies such as robots and automatic driving could also be broadly applied to address challenges facing a graying population such as alleviating burdens of nursing and helping people who have difficulties shopping. We will firmly boost the development of technology that will support a bright future.

For the most business-friendly city in the world

We will boost the dynamism of Tokyo as a global business center. Last month, at the National Strategic Special Zone Meeting for the Tokyo Area, six urban renewal projects proposed by the Tokyo government were approved. In the area from Otemachi to Kabutocho, which will be the core of the global financial center plan, we will work for even more concentration of financial functions. Moreover, in addition to providing “financial concierge” services to support foreign financial corporations, we are advancing preparations to host an international financial conference in December. The International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators has also decided to set up their permanent secretariat in Tokyo. We will bring highly skilled talent and information to Tokyo from abroad, and enhance Tokyo’s presence in the financial sector. This Tokyo area special zone meeting brought the number of urban renewal projects in Tokyo employing the special zone scheme to a total of 28, and it is projected that the economic effects will surpass 10 trillion yen. We will continue to expand such efforts and advance functional and attractive urban development that also makes full use of the expertise and ingenuity of private businesses and local residents.

In the area of health care, a project for early development of innovative health care devices at three hospitals in Tokyo was approved. We hope to link this to further development of the life sciences industry. And, the area around Tokyo Station, where there are many financial institutions and life sciences companies, will be positioned as the Tokyo Global Business Front, and will be developed to showcase Tokyo as the world’s most business-friendly city.

Building a city for a bright future

Bolstering the functions of Haneda Airport is crucial in urban development to support Tokyo’s growth. With regard to revising flight paths aimed at increasing landing and departure slots, the central government plans to formulate a policy by this summer that gives consideration to environmental impact. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will continue to request the central government to fully address the issues of noise and safety that local residents are concerned about, and will actively cooperate for smooth progress in negotiations to strengthen airport functions.

In April, the central government released its guidelines on the form that railways in the Greater Tokyo Area should take, with the period around 2030 in mind. All five of the lines proposed by the Tokyo government for priority study on development were positioned as projects contributing to strengthening international competitiveness and to improving local rail networks. Based on the contents of the guidelines, we wish to work on improving the rail network in partnership with the central government, municipalities, railway companies and other actors.

Urban development requires a “vision” that grasps the large currents of the age and looks firmly at the city 20 years, 30 years into the future. Last month, the investigation subcommittee of the City Planning Council released its interim report on the urban vision for Tokyo in the 2040s and the directions to take to achieve this vision. We will wait for the final report scheduled for fall, reflect this in our studies for Tokyo’s grand design, and show our prospects for a bright future.

Dealing with environmental issues

Urban management friendly to the global environment, which aims for sustainable development, is the mission entrusted to the large cities of the world.

The new Environmental Master Plan, formulated at the end of the last fiscal year, raised goals that surpassed those of the central government for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the percentage accounted for by renewal energies in power generation. One key for achieving these goals is hydrogen energy. We will push strongly for the diffusion of fuel cell vehicles and the construction of hydrogen stations. A facility to deepen understanding on hydrogen (Tokyo Suiso-miru) will be opened next month. While also broadening opportunities for the use of hydrogen, such as adopting residential use fuel cells at the Olympic and Paralympic Village after the Games, we wish to establish hydrogen among the Tokyo residents as an accessible energy.

International partnership is indispensable in solving global scale environmental issues. Tokyo has joined C40, ICLEI, the Compact of Mayors and other international networks to jointly tackle environmental issues. Last month we also joined the East Asia Clean Air Cities established by ICLEI to address air pollution. C40 is conducting a program to recognize urban developments that serve as models for the realization of a low carbon city. The former site of JR Shinagawa Depot Railway Yard was the first development project in Japan to join this program. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will also provide technological cooperation. I recently exchanged views with former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg regarding a new initiative focusing on the association between climate change measures and international finances. By sharing experiences and expertise within international ties, and implementing pioneering measures, we will exhibit leadership in finding solutions to environmental issues.

Cultivating talent for Japan’s future

The internationalization of our youth on whose shoulders lie our future, is an urgent challenge that needs to be addressed in order for Tokyo to continue developing on par with the world. The other day I met with Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and we shared the view to promote the mutual exchange of students. Cultivating globally-minded talent is also one of the pillars of the middle-term goals of the Tokyo Metropolitan University proposed at this Assembly. We will raise students who have international sensibilities and a broad education and who have the capability to flexibly survive an age of turbulent change.

The form education should take as we look toward the 2040s will also be discussed with the Board of Education at Comprehensive Education Council to be held this month. We wish to deepen discussion from various perspectives in order to cultivate talent who can support and drive Tokyo in the future.