Policy Speech by the Governor of Tokyo, Koike Yuriko, at the Second Regular Session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, 2022

In opening the second regular session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly in 2022, I wish to relate my basic stance on future metropolitan administration.

1. Collecting our wisdom to address the risks around us

Crises stand in the way of Tokyo’s future

Since its first confirmation in December 2019, an infectious disease of unknown origin spread rapidly around the world. This was the start of the long battle between humanity and the novel coronavirus. Countermeasures taking the offense and defense, and above all, the awareness and actions of our residents and businesses, were powerful forces in our steady promotion of measures against this unknown virus. “Stop the virus, but keep society going.” Tokyo came together as one to accomplish this, and just as we were finally finding our way out from the difficulties wrought by the pandemic, the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cast a dark shadow over Tokyo as well.

This reckless act of resource-rich Russia immediately threw the global supply chain into a maelstrom of confusion. Notably, as Japan relies on imports for most of its fossil fuels, instability in the supply of crude oil and natural gas threatens the foundations of Japan, and particularly Tokyo, which is a major consumer of energy. The major task of how to ensure energy security is heavily weighing us down as we set out to achieve more growth and maturity.

Gathering wisdom to take steps to a sustainable future

What we must do now to ensure that Tokyo continues to shine brightly is to maintain a mindset of turning risk into opportunity, and achieve a sustainable recovery. This is the only option available. We are now living in a global age where events happening overseas immediately impact our daily lives. The threats that emerge from those events are entangled in layers of complexity, which make them that much more difficult to resolve through a single solution. That is precisely why we need to face up to these difficulties by gathering the wisdom of the world and the insights of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. We will become a truly sustainable city that stands firm in the face of any danger.

2. Realizing a resilient city beyond the crisis

Committing all resources to respond to impending threats

Stable supply of energy

The earthquake that occurred off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture in March triggered the issuance of the first “power crunch alert.” Even now, the thermal power plants have not fully resumed operations, and difficulties are forecasted for power supply and demand this summer and winter. If power, which supports the various activities of society, is disrupted, it will force suspension of the activities of Japan’s capital city of Tokyo. Last week, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) established the Energy Response Headquarters to share this sense of crisis throughout the government. Standing at its helm, I gave instructions that they always consider what can be done for the safety and security of the residents of Tokyo and compile measures that go one step further. This headquarters will review the challenges surrounding the metropolitan government, and will be the propellant accelerating solutions by investing the full resources of the TMG. In addition, we will also strengthen systems for execution and strongly promote measures so that we can also engage in activities in partnership with the national government and major enterprises from the two perspectives of climate change response and industrial policies.

Under the three perspectives of a campaign we call HTT, to “save (Herasu)”, “generate (Tsukuru)” and “store (Tameru)” electricity, we will refine our policies and promote the shift to a carbon-free society. First, as this summer is forecasted to be hotter than usual years, in order to overcome a power crunch we will accelerate energy saving measures in homes, as this division continues to consume a great deal of energy. “Cool biz” is now the norm for offices. Now, under Tokyo Cool Home & Biz, we will elevate this concept to home energy savings and generate a movement that links to behavioral changes. We will also expand the range of the Tokyo Zero Emission Point system, which encourages a switchover to more energy efficient home appliances, and further support the efforts of households to save energy. Though these may be small individual actions, when this becomes a unified initiative, it will be a powerful force that changes the future. I again request the cooperation of everyone so that we can, without fail, ride out this summer.

This power crunch is not the only issue we must address. We must raise our energy self-sufficiency and bolster the latent power of our city so that it is not swayed by international affairs. We must achieve “carbon-half” by 2030. To ensure that we halve our carbon emissions by this time, we will draw up a roadmap with 2026 as the midterm year, and also deepen discussions on making it mandatory for newly constructed buildings satisfying certain criteria to install ZEV chargers, ensure insulation and energy-saving performances that fulfill or are above national standards, and install solar panels, and accelerate preparations for ordinance amendment. While working to receive the understanding of the people and businesses of Tokyo, we will create a city that “saves, generates, and stores” power.

The power crisis is not an issue faced by Tokyo alone. We will encourage the installation of solar panels and other such equipment within TEPCO's service area, and have the environmental value created given back to benefit the people of Tokyo. While working together with other local governments, we will expand our options for solutions.

The world’s interest in hydrogen, which holds the key to zero carbon, continues to soar. As the battle for leadership in technological development becomes even more intense, we must accelerate the popularization of hydrogen in order to not only overcome the energy crisis, but to also strengthen our international competitiveness. We will promote the building of a foundation for realization of a true hydrogen society, including its utilization through urban development and introduction of "green hydrogen" derived from renewable energy.

We also need to change how decarbonization is considered—shifting from the perspective of costs to business opportunities. For the shift from gasoline cars to ZEVs, we will redirect excellent technologies to growth industries. We will provide support to companies that give consideration to zero carbon operations and spread fund raising that focuses on sustainability. While making such efforts, we will build a climate in which activities that are better for the environment are appreciated in the market, and transform the economy into a strong one in which small and medium-sized enterprises continuously generate innovation. It would also be important to have the tax system place “environment" as one of its cornerstones. This year’s Tax Commission of Tokyo has just started discussions on further greening of the tax system. By mobilizing all possible measures and while working together with the people and businesses of Tokyo and various stakeholders, we will promote even more efforts to realize a carbon-free society.

Protect livelihoods and the economy

To that end as well, we must support companies that are struggling with the sharp rise in raw material prices and shore up the foundation for growth. We will provide support from both financial and management aspects by not only expanding our government-backed loan system, but also strongly encouraging capital investment that contributes to business efficiency and energy conservation. In addition, in light of the tight global supply of wheat, we will promote the development of products using domestic harvests, such as rice flour from Niigata prefecture, a key rice producer. We will also take measures to curb the demerits of the yen's depreciation and turn this situation into opportunity, such as shifting the procurement of materials from overseas to Tokyo and Japan, and promoting exports by sending out more powerful messages abroad.

We will also protect the livelihoods of the people of Tokyo who continue to face difficulties due to the pandemic. In addition to strengthening counseling and support for those suffering from loneliness and isolation, we will provide many forms of support, such as securing employment opportunities for the disabled and reducing the burden of paying for school lunches at metropolitan schools. To revitalize local communities as well, we will also support the efforts of municipalities that leverage the power of digital technology, such as point redemption for cashless payments, and link this to the future vitality of each and every individual.

Support for evacuees from Ukraine

So that those fleeing the ravages of war in Ukraine can live in Tokyo with peace of mind, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government quickly set up systems including acceptance in metropolitan housing and the establishment of a consultation service. But various needs and difficulties have also surfaced with the prolongation of their evacuation. We have established a TMG-wide team to provide close support to each individual from various aspects, such as employment, childcare, and education, so that they can lead independent lives in the community.

COVID-19 response

Next, COVID-19 response.

Following the end of the period for priority preventative measures measures in March, the hospital bed occupancy rate and occupancy rate of beds for severe cases have decreased significantly, and the number of new positive cases is also trending downward. We have not seen a spread in infections after the Golden Week holidays either. In light of these circumstances, we ended the period for vigilance against a resurgence on May 22. While also considering border control measures, we will be entering the stage of curbing infection by thoroughly implementing basic infection prevention measures. I ask that the people and businesses of Tokyo continue to be mindful of such measures as frequent ventilation, avoidance of three Cs, and the proper use of masks according to the situation. Regarding the health care delivery system, while maintaining a balance with non-COVID health care, we will operate flexibly according to situations such as strain on emergency health care. Vaccination delivery will be reorganized into large venues to facilitate vaccinations by young people, and we will promote fourth vaccinations for people at risk such as the elderly. In this way, we will promote initiatives to break the chain of infections.

For those who have gotten their third shot, we will launch a trial implementation of the Motto Tokyo campaign this month, in a drive to both accelerate vaccinations and promote tourism in Tokyo. Based on movements of the national government and the situation of infections, we will align our steps with tourism promotion of all of Japan.

Looking back at our long battle with the virus, which is still ongoing, we recently prepared a compilation of the outcomes of the initiatives we had taken up to now, challenges and other relevant matters. Armed with the expertise and experiences we have gained, we will continue to confront the virus with flexible and agile countermeasures.

Building a resilient city that stands firm against any threat

Release of new damage estimates

Last week, we released new damage estimates in the event of disasters such as a major earthquake directly hitting Tokyo. The measures we had taken in hard and soft infrastructure over the years to build a city that does not collapse, burn, or spread fire, have borne fruit, with these new damage estimates being lower than those released 10 years ago. On the other hand, challenges posed by demographic and living environment changes are growing more serious, and it goes without saying that we will be sure to always be prepared for a massive earthquake that could occur at any time. We will continue to strengthen our self-support, mutual-support, and public-support programs, while making use of data, such as time-scaled descriptions of damage to infrastructure and lifelines, which were newly created.

A city resilient to floods

It’s also now or never to prepare measures for floods, which are becoming ever more rampant. We will begin discussions with experts at the end of this month on what river facilities are needed. Taking climate change into account, we will deepen studies on matters such as development targets, and development policies such as for underground rivers, and compile the direction to take. We will also speed up the revision of the basic policy to promote comprehensive initiatives in order to raise the level of all TMG heavy rainfall countermeasures and will build a resilient city that can withstand flooding.

Utility pole removal in the Tokyo islands

Power outages due to typhoons have already occurred in some parts of the Tokyo islands this season. In order to ensure the safe lives of the islanders, we must urgently bury utility lines. Based on the development plan formulated early this year, Toshima and Mikurajima have been selected as the first islands to completely remove utility poles. We will continue to accelerate such efforts in the islands.

Accelerate urban resilience projects

The key to crisis management is to assume such disaster risks and be more than ready. In order to accelerate the "Urban Resilience Project," which will upgrade our preparedness from a long-term perspective, we have established the Promotion Council, headed by the Vice Governor, to strengthen cooperation among the various bureaus. We will clarify the form that a city resilient to disasters should take, while conducting verifications based on objective data.

Strengthening rescue systems

We will also raise the safety and security of our residents by promoting infallible rescue activities. The Tokyo Fire Department has newly established the Safety Promotion Division and strengthened its crisis management system to ensure the prevention of accidents caused by human error. In addition, starting next month, the "Live 119 Image Reporting System," which shares smartphone images from 119 callers, will be introduced in the Tama area as well for more accurate rescue operations in the field, where every minute counts.

Bolstering cybersecurity

The digitalization of society, while convenient, always carries the risk of cyber-attacks. In particular, as the unique technologies and information possessed by small and medium-sized enterprises are sources for innovation, protecting them will be essential for Tokyo's ongoing development. In addition to dispatching experts to them and supporting their introduction of equipment, we will help them develop human resources who will play a central role in security measures, thereby raising the level of companies' capabilities for independent and continued response.

3. Steadily promoting policies to improve the QOS of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

In an increasingly uncertain world, in order to be closer to the people of Tokyo and meet their expectations, we must transform the Tokyo Metropolitan Government into an agile organization that has the ability to act. By implementing reform, we will change metropolitan administration. With each and every metropolitan government employee sharing the principles of the SHIN-TOSEI strategy for structural reform, we will continue pushing forward with structural reform.

Accelerating the SHIN-TOSEI Strategy for the Structural Reform of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Our first priority is to quickly deliver results through SHIN-TOSEI projects. Aiming for an early start, we will carefully study all processes and establish a standard model to accelerate the implementation of projects, including shortening procedures and facilitating the execution of decisions that are not tied to the fiscal year system. We will make sure that this project is firmly implemented throughout the metropolitan government to further speed up policy roll out.

And, the key to reform will be human resources with a high degree of expertise in digital technology. The “Tokyo Digital Academy,” which started last week, will work to raise the level of digital literacy of not only metropolitan government employees, but also of employees of Tokyo municipalities. Furthermore, we will work to enhance the quality and quantity of talent, including learning from best practices around the world, and have this contribute to the digital transformation (DX) of all of Tokyo, including its municipalities.

Shifting to a more effective approach to public relations

Only when information on services provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reaches those who need it does it have real value. Now more than ever, it is important for us to grasp what the people of Tokyo want to know and provide them with accurate information in a timely manner. From April, we have consolidated our public relations and public hearings functions to establish a system to manage public relations for the entire metropolitan government. In addition to enhancing strategic promotions that seize on timing and strengthening two-way communication functions with the citizens of Tokyo, we will actively promote the attraction of Tokyo overseas. We have also started new initiatives such as the Tokyo Digital Platform ZERO, which will use push strategies to deliver the information that users truly need. We will transition from simply conveying information to a more effective form of public relations that better reaches the people, and rethink the shape of communications at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to build understanding and support for metropolitan affairs.

Moreover, this summer, we will enhance systems for the development of more strategic public relations, establishing a command tower to help manage public relations for the entire metropolitan government in order to deliver information that is even easier to understand to the people of Tokyo, Japan, and the world.

Establishment of the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital Organization

On July 1st, Tokyo Metropolitan Hospitals and those operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Hospitals Corporation will be consolidated into a local incorporated administrative agency with the establishment of the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital Organization. Under the new organization, hospitals will be managed in an agile manner, facilitating stability and flexibility in securing human resources, among other benefits, to enhance government-administered health care. Through these changes, we will also steadily contribute to enhancing local health care and continue protecting the health and lives of all Tokyo citizens well into the future.

4. Realizing a society that puts children first

Next, when I took office as governor in 2016, children on waiting lists for daycare numbered 8,466. The final number for April of this year, which will be announced in July, is expected to drop to about 300 children. We can clearly see that the initiatives that we advanced with the utmost priority to help remove the anxiety of households raising children and contribute to the healthy growth of children are steadily bearing fruit. The smiles of the children are precisely our hope for the future. To realize these smiles, we have established a system for strongly promoting measures with the new Liaison Office for Child-Oriented Policies at its core. We will transcend structural barriers within the organization of the TMG, vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, to take on current issues, such as how to support young caregivers, and even take up new challenges that have the potential to serve as models for the future. And, by the end of this fiscal year we aim to systematically compile advanced and metropolitan government-wide initiatives to forge the future, and strongly promote measures from a children first perspective.

Implementing policies from the perspective of children

There is nothing more important than listening to the voices of children to better understand their feelings. Our recently unveiled Children’s Website is packed with original ideas submitted by children. We will work to upgrade the content to make it a friendly portal site that gives children their first introduction to metropolitan affairs. Furthermore, through efforts such as having children experience creating programs for television and online platforms as “young reporters,” and issuing a children’s edition of Tokyo’s public relations publication, which uses simple language, we will nurture an interest in metropolitan affairs and have the flexible ideas and fresh sensibilities of children contribute to the development of measures.

Changing the way people think about parental leave

I want nothing more than for working parents to be able to spend more time with their precious children. This month, we will hold a summit that gathers company presidents, prominent figures, and experts, and while supporting the efforts of companies, we will build momentum toward realizing a society where everyone can value time with their children. To begin with, we need to change the Japanese word for parental leave, ikukyu, because this word conjures up an image that one is “taking vacation leave.” Therefore, we solicited suggestions from the public for a new name that revamps this image. And, we received a huge response of over 8,800 submissions. We truly appreciate everyone’s ideas. Based on the suggestions received, we will decide on the name this month, and we will promote a shift in the mindset of society toward an awareness of the need for time to “raise” children.

Supporting children and developing talent to open up the future

Helping children to develop their potential and cultivating talent to pave a path to the future are equivalent to investing in the future. In April, Tokyo Metropolitan Tachikawa High School welcomed new students to the first math and science course of its kind. And, Tokyo Metropolitan University also launched a new minor course in data science. It is also especially important for students to open their eyes to the world while they are young. During my recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, I built a bridge to facilitate international exchange between Tokyo metropolitan high school students and high school students in the UAE. Experiencing different societies and cultures is key to cultivating the global mindset needed to be successful on the world stage. I hope that the connections created through this visit will lead to the formation of real exchange between young people.

Under the strong belief of “leaving no child behind,” we will listen to the various problems that children have and do all that we can to help solve them. In April, we opened Tokyo’s sixth “challenge school” in Adachi-ku. I hope that students at the school, which offers various paths for advancement, will rediscover the joy of learning.

It is also urgent that we take steps to protect children from child abuse, which is at a record high. In addition to the child guidance office that was recently established in Nerima-ku, we will also deepen studies on opening a center in the Tama area as well. We have also greatly reinforced the system, including securing more human resources such as child welfare officers and working to raise skills through the establishment of a training center. With a strong desire to protect children, we will do all possible to deliver support without fail to children facing difficulties.

5. Becoming the world’s city of choice

The global competition among cities continues to escalate. Vice Governor Miyasaka recently went on a study trip to Dubai, UAE. This city draws ambitious challengers from around the world with its innovative environment that looks like a scene from a science fiction movie. Unless we dive into this swirl of global dynamism, before we know it, we will find ourselves left far behind. Under this strong sense of crisis, we will learn from our competitors abroad and, while engaging in friendly rivalry, transform Tokyo into a city that is the world’s city of choice.

Attractive urban development for a city that constantly generates new value

We will continue to upgrade Tokyo to become an attractive city that constantly generates new value. The Tokyo Bay eSG Project, which will lead to the birth to a cutting-edge model for cities, will take a new step forward this summer. We will open up the vast Central Breakwater area as a field to implement the latest technologies that will help find solutions to various urban issues. In addition, in Nishi-shinjuku, which was one of the first places for us to build a 5G environment, a consortium will be established to encourage collaboration among diverse stakeholders. On this foundation, we will build an attractive ecosystem that will continuously produce highly convenient services.

Through the efforts of the famed Shibusawa Eiichi and other prominent individuals, Meiji Jingu Gaien Garden was built from donations of funds and trees from the public. So that the thoughts that went into its construction will be carried on to the future, its redevelopment must be one that revitalizes it as a garden open to the public. To that end, we have requested the developers to look into involving a broad range of Tokyo citizens in the planning. We will have this area become an exciting, rich green community where many Tokyo residents can enjoy sports.

Enhancing the attraction of Tokyo and communicating this the world

In Shibuya, a town that is always creating new culture, we will develop a center for creative activities in art and design that integrate digital technology. By stimulating creativity through the power of digital technology, such as making it a place where children come in contact with cutting-edge art and that cultivates the next generation of artists who will captivate the world, we will create new value in Tokyo.

Next month, we will also begin accepting competition applications from students aspiring to become fashion designers. By providing assistance for business development as well, we will support young talent in going out onto the world stage, and let the rest of Japan and the world learn about the sensibilities that were honed in Tokyo.

We want the world to savor the skills and flavors of Tokyo’s proud culinary scene. Last month, we held the spring food festival, Tokyo Tokyo Delicious Museum, where many people enjoyed a wide variety of dishes. This fall, we are planning to hold the Taste of Tokyo festival, which will feature an abundance of seasonal ingredients, to broadly publicize the diverse attractions of Tokyo’s food culture.

In addition, holding live events and enjoying interactions in virtual space has lately been spreading, especially among the younger generations. Based on such current trends, we will use digital space to communicate the attractiveness of Tokyo and increase fans of Tokyo, both in Japan and abroad.

For a city where sports is a part of daily life

The Tokyo 2020 Games delivered courage and inspiration to the world. At the recent IOC Session, where the final report on the Games was presented, the Tokyo Games were highly praised for many aspects as representing a coming together of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, and being the best prepared Games in history. At the one-year milestone of that passionate summer, we will recall the memories of the Games and convey our gratitude to the people of Tokyo and the nation. We have designated this July through October as the period commemorating the first anniversary of the Games. Starting with a ceremony at the National Stadium, we will hold various events, including a para-sports exhibition and the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon. Digital technology and other methods to make sports accessible to everyone will be utilized so that people with disabilities and those who have difficulty coming to the venue can also enjoy the events.

Regarding the new center for new Olympic sports, the Ariake Urban Sports Park (tentative name), policy will be formulated this month for project implementation and it will be developed by fully using the vitality of the private sector. In November, a cycling event will be held across the Rainbow Bridge, and plans will also be made to hold a similar event in the Tama area, which was the venue for the road race at the Games. In this way, we will ensure that the legacy is carried on to the future and realize "Sports Field Tokyo," where sports are a part of daily life.

Now, regarding the World Athletics and Deaflympics, which are scheduled to be held in 2025. Tokyo recently received a visit from the World Athletics Evaluation Panel, which looks into venues for the World Athletics Championships, and we were able to directly promote Tokyo's ability to host the championships and our city’s attractions. As for the Deaflympics, we sent our staff to Brazil last month to conduct an in-depth study on its operations. Both of these events are very large-scale international competitions that will have a large number of athletes coming to Japan. If these events are held in Tokyo, the full support of the national government and the combined strengths of a broad range of stakeholders would be essential. In close cooperation with the national government and parties involved, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will also provide its active support to the organizations bidding for the respective events.

Boosting diversity

We will also steadily promote initiatives to realize the Tokyo 2020 Games vision of “Unity in Diversity,” and lead the city to further maturity.

At this assembly, we have proposed an amendment to the so-called Ordinance for Respecting Human Rights to establish the “Partnership Oath System," which will also be symbolic of realizing an inclusive society. Not only will we be the first prefecture to give it effectivity through the basis of an ordinance, but through collaboration with municipalities and the private sector as well, we will develop detailed services that embrace the feelings of the parties concerned. We will start by making provisions that enable sexual minorities who have made this oath to newly move into metropolitan housing, and will gradually expand this to other operations as well.

Furthermore, in order to promote the participation of women in the decision-making process to reflect a diversity of opinions in policies, a quota system will also be introduced in the councils and other advisory groups of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. A bill to amend the ordinance for this purpose has also been submitted to this regular assembly.

Culture and the arts are also important channels for expanding the circle of diversity. For 10 days from the 28th of this month, we will hold Asia's first comprehensive international conference for the realization of an inclusive society. The world will be united through the power of culture and the arts, which embrace all differences, including age, gender, and the presence or absence of disabilities, and we will evolve into a city where diversity and inclusion are firmly established.

6. In conclusion

The international order that had been assiduously built by the world was abruptly shaken by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A sense of crisis is spreading in the international community that if unilateral change of the status quo through force is permitted, destabilization of regions throughout the globe will soon follow. Two Scandinavian countries that had for long pledged neutrality have announced their intentions to join NATO, and in the Asian Pacific region as well, the Quad, a strategic security dialogue between Japan, the United States, Australia and India, has started regularizing activities. In this way, global frameworks for national security and economic partnerships are also beginning to change substantially.

Climate change, which is becoming increasingly threatening with each passing year; the ongoing battle against the coronavirus; and the drastically changing international situation. These conditions have completely changed the environment around Japan. A complex emergency that affects not just national defense, but the very foundations of our nation, including energy, food, and economic security, is surging upon us. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Japan, which has enjoyed peace and stability since the end of World War II, is now facing its greatest challenge.

What we must not forget is that this is our problem as well, as it is directly connected to the safety of Tokyo, Japan’s capital. Our actions at this major turning point in time will determine the future of Tokyo and, consequently, Japan. Just as the oil shock in the past encouraged innovations in energy-saving technology and led to great advancements in society, we must overcome the difficulties we now face and transform Tokyo into an even more resilient and prosperous city. Now is the Time to Act.

Holding the key here is "people.” People full of ambitions to take on new challenges, and people with dreams to open the future. The energy of such diverse talent will be the powerful engine driving the city's development. By fully utilizing this, we will overcome the crisis and realize, without fail, a bright future that strikes a balance between ongoing growth and maturity, and where people shine. With this firm resolve, I will proceed at full speed with the grand reform of Tokyo. I ask for the understanding and cooperation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and the citizens of Tokyo.

Including the matters to which I have already referred, a total of 62 bills, including 1 budget bill and 44 ordinance bills, have been presented to this regular session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly for deliberation among the Assembly members.

This concludes my speech to the Assembly. Thank you.

 

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