The TMG Tokyo Action Plan for 2020

158 Secondly, preserving and creating attractive waterfronts creating attractive waterfronts in coastal and other areas, as well as preserving springs and enhances the safety of rivers to mitigate natural disaster damage.

Thirdly, promoting measures for extreme summer heatwaves in urban areas: TMG creates cool spots by using, for example, dry-type mist generation equipment in collaboration with business operators and municipalities, as well as employing heat blocking pavements and roof greening(Bureau of Environment - Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2016).

159 This section will deal with the smart city concept even because in itself are embedded the objectives of safe and diverse city. To become a world-leading smart energy city, TMG spread the use of LED lights, promote energy-saving measures and advance the use of hydrogen that does not emit CO2 in its production. Specifically:

- Encourage households, buildings, and factories to introduce LED lighting, and set an example by using LED lights at metropolitan facilities.

- Promote eco-houses, energy-saving measures at buildings and factories, and the conversion of metropolitan facilities to zero-energy buildings.

- Conduct research on hydrogen that does not emit CO2 in its production.

In this sense, TMG starts an initiative where people can receive one LED bulb in exchange for two incandescent bulbs at electrical appliance stores (up to 1 million LED bulbs).

TMG will make the citizens’ lifestyles sustainable through such measures as reducing food loss as being mottainai (too precious to waste).

- Draw up the “Tokyo-Style Food Loss Reduction,” a set of rules to reduce food loss and waste.

- Encourage stores to stop the free distribution of plastic shopping bags, and rethink our disposable lifestyle.

- Make effective use of emergency food stock nearing the end of their recommended consumption period.

The Tokyo 2020 Games will be held in the summer season and for the climate, TMG aims to improve the urban environment and also create a city surrounded by water and greenery where people feel close to nature.

Take intensive measures to address the heat, including creating “cool areas”. Decorate the city with flowers and greenery, by enhancing parks and planting roadside trees. Preserve and protect greenery on private land, the precious greenery remaining in Tokyo while creating an environment where people can coexist with a variety of species.

To restore Tokyo to its position as Asia’s No. 1 global financial city, promotion of bold measures to revitalize the financial industry must be necessary. Foreign financial firms attracted to Tokyo by the TMG through issue green bonds and advance environmental

160 policies. Accelerate efforts to attract foreign businesses in the fintech, Internet of Things (IoT), and similar fields, by helping them draw up business plans and get connected to Japanese firms. Promote efforts to create a more comfortable environment for foreign businesses and their employees. Creating innovations and supporting SMEs which expanding into growth industries with TMG support. Besides, SMEs expanding into overseas markets with TMG support

Moreover, TMG will implement measures for the sustainable growth of Tokyo, including technological innovations of SMEs, which are the foundation of the Japanese economy and encouraging business start-ups. As following different measures undertook:

-Publicize, at home and abroad, traditional crafts and agricultural produce harvested in Tokyo, to promote the Tokyo brand.

-Support start-up firms in evolving into global businesses.

-Support development projects that connect the excellent ideas of SMEs with technologies (including patented ones) of industry leaders.

-Revitalize businesses by utilizing IoT and other innovative technologies.

Another relevant field is tourism: through developing and publicizing tourism resources, convey Tokyo’s attractions throughout the world and create an environment where travellers can enjoy sightseeing in comfort. Publicize tourism resources that attract interest from foreign people, such as anime and manga, as a part of Japanese culture, prepare a comfortable environment for international visitors, such as making signs multilingual and introducing more western-style toilets and finally collaborate with another international tourist destinations to publicize each other’s attractions.

Linked to the last initiatives is the matter of implementing a cultural program in all municipalities for the Tokyo 2020 Games such as hold the TOKYO Caravan, which brings together artists from various genres, in areas throughout Japan, including those affected by major natural disasters. Moreover, cooperate with local municipalities and private-sector groups for community development efforts in Tokyo that draw on the attractions and strengths of each area. Also, promoting the arts and culture-making at least five districts, including Ueno, Ikebukuro, and Roppongi, more attractive as centres for the arts and culture.

Tokyo utilizes its diverse mix of arts and culture to make our culture-rich districts even more attractive, and, as part of the cultural program for the Tokyo 2020 Games, hold events that

161 allow a broad range of people to take part; undoubtedly, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are not only a festival of sport but also a festival of culture (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2017).

Lastly, the importance of building up the land, sea, and air transport network is highlighted, creating a city where people and goods move smoothly. There is a need to ease road congestion and crowding on trains, and to accommodate the large number of international airport users coming for the Tokyo 2020 Games. Therefore, the promotion of the construction of the three-ring expressways (e.g. the Tokyo Outer Ring Road) to open about 90% to traffic is required (Figure 38).

Figure 38. Tokyo’s three-rings infrastructure (Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2017).

Then, bolster the road network, including backbone trunk roads, to fully realize the potential of Japan’s capital. Also, build a terminal capable of accommodating the world’s largest cruise ships, conduct studies on the possible construction of the proposed railway lines.

Besides, will be essential several feasibility tests of an autonomous driving system will take

162 place in the vicinity of Haneda Airport and elsewhere. Another issue is related to the capacity of Haneda Airport: to expand it, request the national government to give a detailed explanation to residents regarding flight routes changes and to take safety and noise prevention measures. Moreover, bolster the functions of Haneda Airport that is directly linked to the realization of Shinagawa Smart City Project: started in 2012 when the area around Shinagawa and Tamachi Station has been defined as a “Special Priority Area for Urban Renaissance” and, in 2014, a “National Strategic Special Zone”. The rationale why the area was designated under these terms was that there is an overall potential of the area based on the fact that there is an increase of international flights from and to Haneda Airport and also because in 2027 the Linear Chuo Shinkansen high-speed train service will be launched. For this purpose, the TMG published the “Area around Shinagawa Station and Tamachi Station Community Development Guidelines” in 2014 intending to transform the Shinagawa area as the new gateway of Tokyo. Finally, in 2016, plans were approved by the city council for the Shinagawa Station Block District and the District Around Shinagawa Station North (Bureau of Urban Development - Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2018).

As it is conceivable to observe in the plan about the guidelines for the area from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Figure 39), these two priority districts are located respectively in proximity to the Shinagawa Station and a scheduled new station.

In particular, the latest scheduled station is called Takanawa Gateway Station and it has a strategic position, since it is located between the central Tokyo - only 11 minutes by train - and the Tokyo International Airport Haneda - almost 13 minutes by train - and therefore, here is where the Tokyo Metropolitan Government aims to transform the Shinagawa area as the new gateway of Tokyo. Besides, Takanawa Gateway Station is very close to Shinagawa Station - only 2 minutes by train - and approximately close to vibrant places in Tokyo such as Shibuya and Shinjuku stations - respectively 15 and 21 minutes by train (East Japan Railway Company, 2019).

163 Figure 39. Redevelopment project of new station in Shinagawa Area (Source: Bureau of Urban Development – Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2018).