Fully supporting women in their self-actualization

Ever since I took office as governor, I have been strongly supporting the self-actualization of women with the belief that “women are Tokyo's greatest potential.” Taking this support to the next level, this time’s budget also enhances measures from the perspectives of women. For example, we will subsidize the costs and develop the necessary environment for women who wish to receive epidurals for pain relief during childbirth. In addition, as egg-freezing support has received very favorable response, we will double the slots available in order to provide more women with more options to enrich their lives.

We will also fully support women in their wish to work. Through efforts such as encouraging initiatives to review spousal benefits and increase women in managerial positions, we will address challenges such as the “annual income barrier,” which can discourage people from working more, and the wage gap between men and women. And, for instance, by also removing unconscious biases such as “science is for boys,” we will expand fields where women can be more active, including STEM fields as well as entrepreneurship and investment.

And so that women can actually feel that “society has changed,” under the banner of “Women in Action,” or “WA” for short, it is indispensable that initiatives are not limited to government actions, but undertaken in unity with companies, so that these efforts can be transformed into a movement promoted by society as a whole. We will steadily advance studies on the enactment of an ordinance that will be a powerful driver of this trend.

For a society that focuses even more on putting children first

A Tokyo where people can feel more confident about having and raising children

It is estimated that the number of births last year failed to reach 700,000. Considering society today where many households are double income, there is the need to develop infrastructure to ensure that those who wish to have and raise children can do so with confidence.

We will have more places, such as school yards and gymnasiums, where children can spend time safely in the morning before the start of school. Moreover, with regard to after-school clubs that look after children, next fiscal year, we will launch Tokyo’s own certification system for such clubs with standards exceeding those of the national government. At the same time, we will support the creation of such places for children using existing facilities including children centers, and eliminate the number of children on waiting lists by the end of FY2027. The number of children who are unable to go to school is increasing, and they are becoming younger. Along with enhancing support to both free schools and their users, we will newly engage in providing focused support to first-graders and making elementary school a more comfortable place for them. In this way, we will create a diversity of learning opportunities.

We will also strengthen measures that take note of the financial burden of raising children. We were ahead of the national government in providing free daycare services, and from September, we will expand this to also cover the first child. In addition, as prices for purchasing or renting homes soar, it is important to secure housing where residents can raise children in Tokyo with peace of mind. We will establish public-private funds, draw out the ingenuity of the private sector in the utilization of vacant housing and other measures, and work to supply affordable housing.

Supporting the sound growth of children lays the foundation for children to take strong steps forward in their lives. We will provide opportunities for all children to take part in a diversity of experiences according to their stage of development, which will build self-esteem and ambition. We will also implement measures that better reflect the real voices of children, such as having junior high and high school students in Tokyo conduct discussions and propose ideas, and then turning these into policies. Meanwhile, the situation surrounding children is growing increasingly harsh, with issues such as child abuse. Along with both providing individual care to children taken into protection and preparing new facilities to address the increasing need for temporary protection of children, we will build a detailed system for support such as applying digital transformation to facilitate the close sharing of information between our child guidance offices and the police.

Establishing a new style of education

Education is the linchpin for a brighter future. With these thoughts in mind, we announced the draft of the Fundamental Principles on Education Policy. It calls for developing creativity, initiative, and the spirit of challenge, and making learning visible through DX. We will promote this Learning Platform Transformation (LPX), which realizes a learning foundation crucial for the coming age through a perfect combination of the digital and real worlds. For example, we will upgrade the educational style of metropolitan high schools from the traditional one-size-fits-all style to a personalized style that accommodates the interests of each student. This includes working in cooperation with Minerva University, called the world’s most innovative university, to cultivate a stance of finding solutions to challenges while interacting with diverse individuals who have a different sense of values and thinking.

Fully supporting young people in taking on challenges

I believe that for people to be able to fully develop their potential, they should, from a young age, learn about the world and become more globally sophisticated. That is why we will begin providing bold and visionary study abroad support, such as to university students and specialists in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It has also been decided to advance preparations to open a new globally oriented faculty in the Tokyo Metropolitan University, aiming for its start in FY2028. We will accelerate the university’s globalization by also introducing programs throughout the university where students can acquire their degrees in English in order to attract outstanding students from both within Japan and abroad.

Moreover, young people, such as teachers in Tokyo and technical staff at the TMG who are thoroughly enthusiastic about supporting Tokyo’s sustainability, will be given support in returning their scholarships. In collaboration with TMG-related organizations, we will fully support young people who wish to take on challenges, including the building of a system where doctorate holders and candidates at universities can fully exhibit their aspirations and abundance of knowledge.

An inclusive society where everyone can be active throughout their lives

For an active super-aged society

We will turn the coming super-aged society into an active Choju (long, healthy lives) society, full of energy. From April, we will launch operations of the online platform “100-Year Activity Navi” to match up older adults with the various social activities of their communities, local governments and other groups. And along with lightening the burden on the users of the Silver Pass, we will begin work on turning this into an IC card, which will allow us to improve the system through better understanding of the actual situation. We hope that it will be used by many people to encourage their active participation in society.

It is, of course, also important to develop an environment where people can live with peace of mind in their communities. Next month, the TMG will formulate a plan to promote dementia measures that align with the on-the-ground reality. We will strongly promote this plan, which will include various measures such as early awareness of the disease, the strengthening of healthcare delivery systems contributing to early diagnosis and response, and consultations to support family members. With regard to senior citizens living alone, whose numbers are expected to increase even more, we will also support municipalities that are establishing centers for the community as a whole to look after them. And in order to improve the foundation for long-term care, while supporting the introduction of systems to share data on care plans for the reduction of onsite administrative work and supporting home care businesses in securing staff, we will also promote the renewal of aging long-term care facilities.

Preparing the environment for an inclusive society

We will also work for the expansion of social firms, where individuals with disabilities and others from marginalized communities can fully demonstrate their individuality and abilities. A new support team will be established to work closely with each business in addressing their challenges to support their self-management. In addition, we will further accelerate the realization of an inclusive society by giving shape to proposals received from Tokyo residents and universities, such as the development of an AI system for bidirectional conversion of voice and sign language. We will also work to secure staff such as nurses at rehabilitation facilities that support children with severe mental and physical disabilities, and realize an environment where children with disabilities and their families can live with peace of mind.

4. Refining our international competitiveness and building the foundation for a bright 2050

Next, our initiatives to raise our international competitiveness. We will improve upon Tokyo’s strengths and build the foundation for a bright 2050.

Have the seeds of innovation come into bloom

The new waves of industry that are emerging now present us with the perfect opportunity to change the game. We will work strongly to encourage entry and investment in growth areas so that the seeds of innovation that exist everywhere in Tokyo will bloom, one after another.

To that end, we will establish a new Startup Strategy Promotion Headquarters in April to strengthen our organization through more specialization. As the Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB) is becoming firmly established as a center for startups, we will enhance its activities both in quality and quantity, and will endeavor to, among others, provide more support for startups in the growth phase and build a new model for the creation of startups. Moreover, regarding SusHi Tech Tokyo, one of Asia's largest startup conferences, which will be held in May, we wish to scale this up as a forum that looks to the future and leads to concrete actions. Other than having more startups exhibitors than last year, about 500, we are also inviting top-class investors and entrepreneurs from around the world, thereby providing a variety of programs that will help startups expand their business opportunities. ITAMAE, a team of young organizers who hold the future in their hands, will also make the most of their daily activities at the TIB to liven up the conference. In addition, in order to create an environment that will encourage foreign companies and talent to choose Tokyo as their city for business and life, we will increase English language supported administrative procedures that need to be taken to establish a company and also call on international schools to open schools here. In this way, we will accelerate open innovation by connecting various players and turn Tokyo into a city overflowing with possibilities. This includes the successive birth of unicorns.

Energizing Tokyo’s industry and economy

It is crucial that the superb technological skills of the many SMEs that support Tokyo’s industry and economy are passed down to the next generation and linked to new growth. We will promote the synergistic integration of SMEs with limited management resources and support successors in their ambitious development of business from various perspectives including funds and know-how. We will also work to solve the serious lack of labor. In addition to strengthening employment matchups with growth industries and other industries that face challenges in securing talent, through funds that Tokyo invests in, we will support startups that provide products and services that lead to more work efficiency, and through such approaches, help resolve the issues facing SMEs.

Tourism is a major pillar of industry. The number of foreign visitors to Japan last year surpassed 36 million. Bangkok, Thailand, which I recently visited, is strategically utilizing its nights as a tourism resource for energizing the economy. In Tokyo as well, starting with projection mapping of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, we are steadily increasing our nighttime appeal. In order to raise our competitiveness as an international tourism destination, it would be indispensable to further enhance our attractiveness. Along with providing support for initiatives to promote nighttime tourism that makes the best of an area’s features and the holding of night events, we will put greater focus on promoting Tokyo as a city that can also be enjoyed at night, and in this way, we will invigorate Tokyo through the power of tourism.

Soft power is the source of Tokyo’s distinct appeal

Tokyo's unique character, which draws many people from Japan and abroad, cannot be described without reference to its soft power, which includes its arts and culture, and content that charms the world.

Among them is Tokyo’s history and culture that has been carried down since the Edo period. Our newly established expert panel will clarify the value and deep appeal of this Edo legacy, with an eye to having it listed as a World Heritage. We will raise recognition of “EDO” through a logo mark that powerfully conveys the presence of Edo and events such as that marking one-year-to-go to the opening of the renewed Edo-Tokyo Museum.

We will bring arts and culture closer to the people of Tokyo. Through the provision of support to people with disabilities and international residents or visitors to facilitate their experience, we will build an environment for the enjoyment of arts and culture by all. In addition, we will further support the activities of highly motivated talent in various ways. This includes the START Box, which has been very well received as a place for young artists to engage in creative activities.

And then there’s Japan's killer content, manga and anime. By around October this year, we will open a new creative laboratory that could be called a “present-day Tokiwaso,” where creators can devote themselves to producing work in friendly rivalry with their peers. We will, in this way, further enhance the power of content that charms people both in Japan and abroad.

Making Tokyo a global presence where everyone can enjoy sports

This is the year of the long-awaited World Athletics Championships and Deaflympics. We will use digital technology to promote universal communication at train stations and public facilities, and in such ways, will create various legacies leading to the realization of an inclusive society and the further growth of Tokyo. In addition, we will roll out initiatives that will make people want to exercise, such as hands-on experience of sports during these events. We will invite a total of 100,000 people to the two events, and make 2025 a priceless year for children.

We will ensure the wellbeing of the people of Tokyo through sports by fully leveraging the legacies of leading international events. Tokyo’s Master Plan for Sports Promotion, which will be revised for the first time in seven years, sets numerical goals for wellbeing through sports for the first time ever, and positions the cheering on of sports as one way to participate in sports. The Office for Sports Promotion, which will be newly established, will serve a central role in strongly advancing the diversity of measures raised in the plan for the realization of a city that we can proudly present to the world as one where everybody enjoys sports.

Building the foundation for 2050 through urban development that focuses on the future

Cities are the stage settings that maximize such various human undertakings. For our city to continue serving this role requires urban development that also focuses on the future. Regarding the KK Route (Tokyo Expressway), which will soon end its role as a vehicular route, we will create a walkable space while providing opportunities for participation by many, including its utilization for the World Athletics and the Deaflympics. In order to transform the Jingumae 5-chome district into an open “base for knowledge creation” where everyone, centering on children, can gather and connect, we will work to develop this area using TMG-owned land. Taking such opportunities provided by urban development in various areas throughout Tokyo, we will rebuild Tokyo into a people-centered city.

The many vacant homes in the city are actually a hidden source of Tokyo’s vitality. We will prepare a map of vacant homes that cover the entire area of Tokyo, and uncover more information by leveraging private sector know-how and other approaches. Moreover, by having creative renovation ideas compete to shine light on the great potentials of vacant homes, we will work to shift from “building and destroying” homes to their “careful, long-term use.”

Meanwhile, with regard to the Tokyo Bay eSG Project, which harnesses technology to drive urban development for future Tokyo, we will update and accelerate efforts from perspectives including DX, GX, culture, sports, and entertainment, informed by, among others, the outcomes of priority projects that are showing budding growth in the Central Breakwater and Tokyo Waterfront City.

Greenery and water are also key words for future urban development. We will further promote Tokyo Green Biz, which protects, nurtures and utilizes green spaces, including supporting new entries to the agriculture business by extending farmland rental periods, creating green spaces in underground roads, and utilizing Tama produced timber. We will promote urban development for greenery and water, such as releasing a plan for improving the water quality of the Outer Moat, which is a precious historical asset, and presenting the direction of urban development in the area around the Nihombashi River that is based on the concepts of “clean, connecting, gathering, and generating.”

In view of the graying population and technological innovations, we must also quickly act to transform mobility and logistics. From the next fiscal year, we will also fortify the organization of the TMG to further accelerate the social application of autonomous driving. From this weekend, in Nishi Shinjuku, we will launch the year-round operation of buses for realization of level 4 autonomous driving, which does not require a driver on board. In areas such as the Bay Area and central Tokyo as well, we will, in partnership with private businesses, advance the enhancement of technical precision that is essential for the introduction of autonomous driving. Furthermore, from the perspective of logistics, along with launching initiatives for the use of drones in urbanized areas, we will promote the bolstering of Oi Terminal’s functions by formulating the Tokyo Container Vision 2050 at the end of this fiscal year, which lays out our future vision for the Port of Tokyo, a cornerstone for international logistics.

Redesigning the ideal form of urban development

Urban development is none other than a country’s visionary plan. In these turbulent times, there is a heightening need to redesign these plans. From the perspective of learning from the past, we will generate continuous innovation by integrating the history and culture of Edo with the latest technologies. And we will turn Tokyo into a city where diverse lifestyles are possible and where the residents can feel that their lives are enriched. We will launch work on the revision of the Grand Design for Urban Development from a broad temporal and spatial perspective.

5. Making the Tama area and Tokyo islands universally admired places that everyone wants to visit or live in

Next, I will speak about measures to refine branding efforts for the Tama area and Tokyo Islands to elevate them as valued Tokyo brands and make them universally admired locations that everyone wants to visit or live in.

Transforming the Tama area into a TAMA-tebako filled with greenery

Last month, we compiled a draft for an urban development strategy for the Tama area that sets forth the vision for the 2050s. The Tama area has rich greenery and ample space not found in central Tokyo. Situated here are a concentration of universities, research institutions, and companies. Tama is also home to important historical and cultural sites, and even locations used in anime. It is an area where people can live comfortably, which is one of its major attractions. We hope to further invigorate the collaboration and interaction between these elements to further develop the different personalities of Tama’s 30 cities, towns, and villages, and make the area the “TAMA-tebako of greenery.” (A tamatebako is a beautiful box that holds precious items.) Next fiscal year, at long last, we will launch the project to extend the Tama Intercity Monorail in the direction of Hakonegasaki, which will markedly raise the area’s potential. We will not only firmly support the development of the areas around the seven new stations to be built as part of the extension, but also the development of hubs in the Tama area, including the Tama New Town districts of Suwa, Nagayama, Tama Center, and Minami-Osawa. And we will steadily facilitate and execute approximately 500 hard and soft projects that were set forth to achieve the vision for the 2050s.

Making our fascinating treasure islands attractive to many people

With their majestic natural environment, the Tokyo islands are truly one of a kind. We will work to attract many people from other areas of Japan and abroad, and have that contribute to further vitalization of the area. We are working to further establish the islands as tourist destinations with the aim of ultimately building individual brands for each of the islands. These efforts include conducting model tours focused on attracting affluent tourists with itineraries that feature direct international flights to Hachijojima and island hopping via helicopter. We will also support efforts to improve barrier-free access to facilities, shops, taxis, and other spaces so that people can move about the islands smoothly.

It is also essential for island residents to be able to live comfortably and with peace of mind, even in the unique environment associated with their remote location. In partnership with GovTech Tokyo, we will provide ongoing, side-by-side support for digital transformation efforts undertaken by the towns and villages of the islands. And to prepare for occurrences such as power outages and the severance of underwater cables due to increasingly powerful typhoons and other disturbances, we will deploy satellite antennas to all of the towns and villages of the islands to advance the resilience of communications infrastructure. In the area of utility pole removal, we will also work to cut construction time and costs by, among other efforts, establishing a new construction method that does not rely on digging.

Support for relocation to and settlement in the Tama area and Tokyo islands

We have enhanced measures aimed at promoting relocation to and settlement in the Tama area and Tokyo islands, which are essential to drawing out the vitality of the areas. A specific challenge that requires attention is securing housing. We will have university and TMG employees design the layout and consider other details for a vacant home and then remodel the property based on those sketches. By filming the entire process to document the “before and after” and streaming this video, we will also employ creative methods to convey the hidden potential of vacant homes. Additionally, we will organize an opportunity for individuals and organizations in the islands working to promote relocation to and settlement in the area to come together in Hachijojima and further boost excitement for the Tokyo islands.

6. Striving to realize a “Zero Emission Tokyo” with a resolve to lead the world

Next, I will talk about efforts to realize a Zero Emission Tokyo by 2050.

Tackling head-on the challenge of balancing energy security with energy conservation and decarbonization

The greatest obstacle facing our country in emerging victorious in the highly competitive international environment is our scarce supply of energy resources. As Japan’s capital city, Tokyo will tackle head-on the national challenge of balancing energy security with energy conservation and decarbonization.

Ensuring energy security

April will mark the start of our mandate stipulating the installation of solar power generation equipment in newly built homes and buildings. We will use this mandate as leverage to advance various measures aimed at addressing energy challenges. Next-generation solar cells have the potential to be a game-changer for the widespread adoption of renewable energy solutions. By generating demand for this technology through offering focused support for their application in Tokyo-owned facilities and private companies, we will pave the way for their mass production that also makes use of domestic resources. At the same time, we will encourage capital investment by businesses engaged in solar panel recycling and work to establish efficient recycling routes for used panels. We will accelerate steps toward realizing a “power-generating future city” through an initiative that aims to build floating wind farms off the Tokyo islands, as well as through the promotion of solar power generation that makes use of space above agricultural land being used for farming, and biomass power generation that uses scrap wood and other materials as fuel.

Additionally, we will begin offering strong support to local governments in Tokyo that are making use of Tokyo’s wealth of potential, including cutting-edge technologies and startups, in efforts to achieve zero emissions in their jurisdictions. Through a new approach of implementing our own area-wide measures for energy conservation and decarbonization, we will make progress toward a zero-emission city.

We will develop an environment that enables the long-term and stable use of green hydrogen, which is the trump card for decarbonization. Two days ago, we concluded an agreement with Fukushima Prefecture, which has touted hydrogen as a pillar for recovery of the region. This concerns matters such as the provision of Fukushima-produced hydrogen. Furthermore, this year, in addition to starting up the first large-scale production of hydrogen in Tokyo, we will also begin preparations to construct a production facility in the Central Breakwater Reclamation Area, seeking to increase the supply of hydrogen. Last month, we decided on the company to operate a green hydrogen station on land owned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. We will actively create model examples of the social application of hydrogen, such as through offering integrated support for the generation of hydrogen demand and the building of hydrogen stations.

Vigorously supporting the spread of zero-emission mobility

We will also promote the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). By enhancing purchase incentive support commensurate with the measures taken by ZEV manufacturers to reduce environmental impacts, we will encourage the development of appealing products through the resulting increase in demand. We will also take advantage of the opening of the first domestic hydrogen station located inside a bus depot to increase the total number of fuel cell buses in the Toei Bus fleet to 100 by fiscal year 2027.

Building a fuel-efficient sustainable city

For the effective utilization of our limited energy resources, just as for vehicles, it is crucial to focus on the fuel efficiency of homes, and further promote the spread of homes with high environmental performance. To enhance the effectiveness of the Building Environmental Reporting Program, which mandates the securing of insulation and energy efficiency, and to build momentum for the spread of Zero Emission Houses, we will strengthen support measures for small- and mid-sized home builders and others that are not covered by the mandate. We will also aim to have around one million existing rental apartment units undergo thermal retrofitting by 2030, while offering focused, tandem support at every stage, from the assessment of energy efficiency to retrofitting. In line with this effort, we will also generate momentum for thermal retrofitting by promoting the appeal of eco-friendly residential buildings and making residents aware of the need to do so.

Generating a positive cycle for zero emissions through a new framework and investment in a green transformation

We will endeavor to create a new framework for promoting the energy conservation and decarbonization of companies. We will conclude an MOU with an international organization that verifies carbon credits, and next month, we will begin operating an independent platform where SMEs in Tokyo can conveniently trade domestic and international credits. We will expand trading volume by also offering support to companies that are using these credits for product branding.

Attracting investment in cutting-edge energy and environmental technologies and encouraging their development will be the shortcut to achieving a Zero Emission Tokyo. We will promote the advancement of a “green transformation” by establishing a public-private investment fund to finance the generation of innovation by startups in these fields. Stimulating demand in energy-efficient and renewable energy solutions will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gases. The value in that will spur further investment and development, which will in turn promote greater energy conservation and renewable energy. We will work to create this positive cycle of zero emissions.

Demonstrating Tokyo’s resolve to lead the world in energy conservation and decarbonization

It is said that the global average temperature last year was the highest on record since data collection began in 1850. There is no time to lose. To fulfill our responsibility of leading a city that is a major consumer of energy, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has set a new, ambitious goal of achieving a more than 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 from 2000 levels. We will formulate a roadmap toward this goal by the end of this fiscal year and vigorously push forward. Additionally, we will roll out the outstanding environmental technologies and business models of SMEs in Tokyo to rapidly developing countries in the Global South, contributing not only to the growth of companies but also the energy conservation and decarbonization of the entire world. Through these efforts and more, Tokyo will stand at the vanguard of tackling these challenges shared by all of humanity.

7. Strengthening resilience to firmly protect the safety and security of Tokyo residents

Lastly, I will speak on initiatives for protecting the capital and promoting safety and security. A bright future in 2050 will not be possible without safeguarding the lives and health of Tokyo residents.

Protecting residents’ day-to-day lives through rigorous inspections and a solid preventive maintenance strategy

Following the recent sinkhole incident in Yashio, Saitama, we immediately conducted emergency inspections of sewer pipes in Tokyo and confirmed the absence of abnormalities. As an extra precaution, we are also currently conducting additional inspections covering a wider area. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has developed a trenchless technology for rehabilitation of sewer pipes and has been systematically upgrading them using this technology. We have also long been implementing preventive maintenance approaches to manage roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, in an effort to strategically enhance their longevity. Moving forward, we will continue to properly maintain our infrastructure while incorporating new technologies, to ensure safety in residents’ day-to-day lives.

Protecting residents’ lives through further strengthening urban resilience

Preparations for earthquakes

Always be prepared. A major earthquake directly striking the capital region could occur at any time. Last month, we released a draft revision of the Basic Policy for the Urban Development Plan for Disaster Resistance. Under this revision, areas that are located outside of development districts, yet are in need of improvements, will be newly designated as “disaster resilience improvement districts.” We will greatly accelerate efforts to create a city resistant to fires and the spread of fires, including thoroughly advancing relevant measures in collaboration with local governments. Additionally, we will waste no time in enhancing disaster resilience through the removal of utility poles, which is crucial for ensuring smooth rescue and relief operations in times of disaster. While focusing on supporting removal efforts on roads deemed critical for disaster management, we will also advance area-wide measures, such as offering support for removal in conjunction with residential development projects, as well as for removal on public and private roads in districts with close-set wooden houses.

We will also take action to improve living conditions at evacuation shelters, which resurfaced as an issue following the Noto Peninsula earthquake. By the end of this fiscal year, we will formulate guidelines that cover necessary standards and specific methods for operating evacuation shelters, including the elimination of cramped sleeping quarters, the guarantee of privacy, and the improvement of unsanitary toilet facilities. We will work to reduce concerns at evacuation shelters and ensure that shelter conditions are as comfortable as possible.

As of the end of last year, over 90,000 housing units have been registered under our Tokyo Todomaru Apartment and Condominium Building initiative. We will work to further spread the initiative by expanding subsidies, such as for measures to prevent elevator entrapment and for the installation of manhole toilets, so that people can continue sheltering at home (todomaru) with peace of mind during a disaster. In addition to stepping up efforts to foster community connections through joint disaster preparedness drills for residents of multi-family residential buildings conducted with neighborhood associations, we will also enhance the overall disaster resilience of local communities through measures such as installing emergency supply warehouses for neighborhood associations and enhancing the availability of emergency goods and equipment in shopping districts.

Flood countermeasures

During the torrential rains last summer, the regulating reservoirs we constructed took in a total of approximately 1.15 million cubic meters of water, thereby minimizing flood damage. Considering the intensifying effects of climate change, we will increase the target capacity of new regulating reservoirs to 2.5 million cubic meters as we move forward with plans for their construction. In addition to strengthening preparations for urban flooding, such as flood countermeasures in underground shopping malls, this fiscal year, we will formulate a model for ward plans necessary to ensure a seamless wide-area evacuation in the case of large-scale flooding in the low-lying areas of eastern Tokyo.

Preparing for all kinds of crises

We must also bolster preparations for the possible eruption of Mt. Fuji and volcanoes on the Tokyo islands, which would result in catastrophic damage. Early next fiscal year, we will revise the volcano edition of the Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Management Plan to include specific measures for the clean-up of volcanic ash fall, an upgraded evacuation plan for the Tokyo islands, and more. We will also treat missile strikes as a realistic threat and update the Tokyo Metropolitan Civil Protection Plan to reflect strengthened countermeasures, in order to protect the lives of citizens.

Addressing residents’ concerns to create a city where everyone can live with peace of mind

Instances of violent crime, including robberies occurring throughout Japan as “yamibaito” (dark part-time jobs), have led to worsening perceptions of safety among residents. We will newly establish the Office for Comprehensive Promotion of Citizen Safety and strengthen measures to prevent crime and enhance safety. Besides offering emergency subsidies for the installation of crime-prevention equipment like surveillance cameras in homes, we will use AI technology to scan social media for posts related to “yamibaito,” which are prevalent online, aiming to prevent crime before it occurs.

Platform doors at stations protect people’s lives. At the council meeting held last week with representatives of the public and private sectors, we announced a goal of installing platform doors at approximately 60 percent of all JR and private railway stations by 2028, two years ahead of the initial target. We will accelerate their installation by leveraging subsidy measures that have been included in next fiscal year’s budget.

The fiery plane collision at Haneda Airport last year, as well as fires in mid- and high-rise apartment buildings located in neighborhoods with roads that are too narrow for vehicular traffic, highlight the challenges of firefighting operations in a large city. We will envision all possible scenarios and work to further enhance firefighting capabilities through measures such as researching and developing firefighting drones.

Meanwhile, the effects of rising prices are growing more and more severe. Up to now, we have been implementing multi-layered measures, such as offering aid to transport businesses for rising fuel costs and subsidizing propane gas costs for households and businesses. We will firmly address rising prices by incorporating detailed measures into this fiscal year’s final supplementary budget and next fiscal year’s budget, such as assistance for individuals living in poverty and support for the operation of SMEs, taking into account the current circumstances of residents’ lives and business activities.

We must also ensure stability in the health care system, which protects the lives and health of citizens. Although health care costs should normally be managed by the national government through revisions of medical fees and other methods, considering factors such as the cost of living in Tokyo, we have decided to offer subsidies to private hospitals in Tokyo as a temporary emergency measure. Furthermore, we will also strongly support local health care systems by working to secure extra hospital beds for older adults and to strengthen systems for accepting patients in pediatrics, obstetrics, and other medical specialties.

8. Closing remarks

During the period of rapid change spanning the end of the Edo period to the early Showa era, it was Goto Shinpei and Shibusawa Eiichi who built the foundation of our city. These two men looked 50 and 100 years into the future to generate innovation in the world and greatly transform society. Now, as we approach another turning point in history, I am keenly aware of the very strong need for change.

The desire of the people of Tokyo to improve our city in various ways and their vision for the city’s future are what power the Grand Reform of Tokyo. Glancing through the pages of the strategy that we have been formulating this time, the list of predictions for the 22nd century are really eye-catching. AI was used to create the predictions for 100 years into the future. Although the various advancements described are still difficult to achieve at the present time, if achieved, they will make our lives more pleasant, more convenient, and more fulfilling. Minute by minute, second by second, technology is constantly advancing. Even right now as I speak, it is continuously sparking innovation around the world. The day these predictions become reality may be just around the corner.

Our world is undergoing a major shift. Tokyo will become a better city. And we can look forward to a brighter future. By steadily implementing the numerous policies we have refined from the perspective of putting Tokyo residents first, and also drawing upon the wishes of the people of Tokyo as a source of strength, we will work to make Tokyo the world’s best city.

Including the matters to which I have already referred, a total of 165 bills, including 38 budget bills and 94 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.

This article is also available in other languages.（日本語）