Introduction

From March 17 to 20, 2026, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) participated for the first time in the 2026 Smart City Summit & Expo (SCSE), one of Asia’s largest smart city events, held in Taipei, Taiwan, with the Tokyo Pavilion. Under the theme of “Resilience,” the Pavilion showcased how digital technologies are being used to strengthen disaster preparedness and enhance safety in Tokyo.

Digital Twin Technology Exhibit

The main exhibition of the Tokyo Pavilion was the “Tokyo Digital Twin Project”. A digital twin is a virtual reproduction of various elements of the physical world—such as infrastructure like buildings and roads, economic activities, and patterns of human movement—created as a “twin” in cyberspace using data collected from sensors and other sources.
For more details: Digital Twin: A New Solution for Urban Challenges in Tokyo -TMG

While digital twin technology has applications across many fields, this exhibition focused primarily on disaster preparedness. Through interactive touch panels and projection mapping, visitors explored how digital data can support risk awareness and pre-disaster preparedness, contributing to Tokyo’s disaster prevention capabilities.
 

Digital Twin 3D Viewer

Visitors were able to operate a 3D viewer via a touch panel, displaying over 1,100 types of geospatial data—including disaster risks, infrastructure information, and economic activity—layered onto 3D models of buildings and terrain. By adjusting viewing angles and displaying multiple datasets, users could gain a comprehensive understanding of disaster risks and urban structures. Through this hands-on experience, the TMG demonstrated how geospatial  data is used to prepare for disasters.
 

Projection Mapping Display

As another visualization method, the TMG showcased projection mapping using geospatial data. The data was projected on a physical model representing all of Tokyo, including the island areas. For this event, five resilience-related datasets were selected from the more than 1,100 datasets available in the 3D viewer.
 

Content 1: Earthquake Preparedness —Exponential Distribution of Liquefaction Potential

The Exponential Distribution of Liquefaction Potential shows the relative likelihood of ground liquefaction when underground layers are shaken at a consistent intensity. This dataset supports disaster planning and infrastructure reinforcement by helping anticipate potential damage. The index is shown in three colors, with pink indicating the highest liquefaction risk. When projected on the model, liquefaction risks appear clearly across eastern and central Tokyo, highlighting the need for region-specific disaster preparedness measures.

Content 2: Storm Surge Preparedness —The Map of the Storm Surge Flood Risk Areas

The Map of the Storm Surge Flood Risk Areas visualizes simulated flooding  that could occur if the largest typhoon in Japan’s recorded history were to enter Tokyo Bay. This data helps identify areas requiring priority disaster prevention and mitigation measures. This projection clearly visualizes high-risk areas, particularly the low-lying eastern side of Tokyo and the Arakawa River basin, where storm surge flooding of up to 10 meters is expected. This visualization helps us understand why disaster prevention and mitigation measures are so important in these areas.

Conclusion

The TMG will continue to leverage digital twin and other advanced technologies to build a safer, more resilient, and sustainable Tokyo.