ITAR-TASS has some news:
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=127294

Has there been any news in Japan?

Osaka or Nagoya, but 50 000 people are enough... how about Kyoto?

ITAR-TASS has some news:
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=127294

Has there been any news in Japan?

Osaka or Nagoya, but 50 000 people are enough... how about Kyoto?

I haven't seen any other sources talking about it other than ITAR-TASS.

There's also problems with the article.. places with over 50,000 people? there's tons of cities in Japan with over 50,000!

Osaka or Nagoya? they are not disaster proof. The epicenter of the Hanshin earthquake was much closer to Osaka than the Tohoku earthquake is to Tokyo.

The Nagoya area is close to Shizuoka where the "big one" is supposed to occur. There's nuclear power plants in Mihama and Hamaoka..

They might as well move the capital to Sapporo.

No. Sounds like another bogus article.

A bit ironic though...
http://www.asahi.com/international/update/0416/TKY201104150580.html

If you cannot read the headline:
Tōkyō radiation levels are half of Moscow

Are they going to move the capital of Russia? :lol:

There has been talks of moving some of the functions of the government to other location but not because of fear of natural disasters but because of the mass centralization to Tokyo.
There are also talks of transferring some of the authorities to local government but both ideas are being stonewalled by central bureaucracy wanting to maintain the status quo.
One third of the Japanese federal budget that is creating a large hole in federal reserve is allocated to personnel fee alone.:bash:

Yes Japan needs to do a major spring cleaning.

I think Kofu is a good choice..^^


sO is Suwa

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1332553

I dont think the capital of Japan will move nowhere. Tokyo will stay as it is and i dont see any convincing reason to remove the capital to any of the mentioned cities. Also dont trust any given speculations by these news blogs, mostly their initial goal is to catch more readers and spread rumors.

Imperial capital back to Kyoto, business and the government business agencies should send more operations to Osaka. All other things need to be sent to Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Japan is silly having Tokyo be so centralized and accounting for 35% of GDP. America has many important cities throughout the country, Japan just has Tokyo.

Imperial capital back to Kyoto, business and the government business agencies should send more operations to Osaka. All other things need to be sent to Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Japan is silly having Tokyo be so centralized and accounting for 35% of GDP. America has many important cities throughout the country, Japan just has Tokyo.
I thought Keihanshin, Chukyo and Fukuoka-Kitakyushu were already pretty important and significant.

Imperial capital back to Kyoto, business and the government business agencies should send more operations to Osaka. All other things need to be sent to Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Japan is silly having Tokyo be so centralized and accounting for 35% of GDP. America has many important cities throughout the country, Japan just has Tokyo.

I think Kyoto is still Japanese capital^^
it is not Tokyo..
it is sure that Tokyo is the center of Japan since Tokugawa..
however it is not capital
I think Edo castle is a just emperor's villa..
Kyoto imperial palace is main home.
There is no decree that makes Tokyo a capital.
Meiji Emperor said " I just go to Tokyo". He was going to return to Kyoto.

I thought Keihanshin, Chukyo and Fukuoka-Kitakyushu were already pretty important and significant.
Not even close to Tokyo. If you just look up some stats the government focuses so much into Tokyo. The metro area alone is 35% of GDP of the entire country. The entire government is located there.
I think Kyoto is still Japanese capital^^
it is not Tokyo..
it is sure that Tokyo is the center of Japan since Tokugawa..
however it is not capital
I think Edo castle is a just emperor's villa..
Kyoto imperial palace is main home.
There is no decree that makes Tokyo a capital.
Meiji Emperor said " I just go to Tokyo". He was going to return to Kyoto.
I don't recognize Tokyo as the imperial capital but many japanese do and the world does. The imperial family has not lived in Kyoto Imperial Palace since 1869, but there is no document saying Tokyo is the new imperial capital. They should move back to Kyoto!

Not even close to Tokyo. If you just look up some stats the government focuses so much into Tokyo. The metro area alone is 35% of GDP of the entire country. The entire government is located there.

I don't recognize Tokyo as the imperial capital but many japanese do and the world does. The imperial family has not lived in Kyoto Imperial Palace since 1869, but there is no document saying Tokyo is the new imperial capital. They should move back to Kyoto!

the problem is...The emperor's approval is necessary for all resolutions in the Diet. that is , his signature is needed.
it means both emperor and gervernment must move

天皇がメールか何かで書類にサインできると思うけどな。笑

天皇がメールか何かで書類にサインできると思うけどな。笑

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTY0Mzc3MDA=.html

Kansai bids to be 'backup capital'
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110510f1.html
OSAKA — Kansai's political and business leaders are stepping up efforts to convince those in Tokyo that Osaka, Kyoto, or Kobe should be designated Japan's backup capital to ensure that companies, government organs, foreign delegations and even the Imperial Family will continue to function in the event of a Kanto-area disaster.

But while even a temporary Kansai shift may make economic and logistical sense, personal circumstances and cultural and social differences between the two regions mean that convincing large numbers of Tokyoites to flee to Kansai could prove difficult.

In the aftermath of the March 11 quake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear crisis, thousands of Tokyo residents — foreign and Japanese alike — fled to the Kansai region. While most had either returned to Tokyo or left Japan by early April, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported later that month that it was getting dozens of inquiries from Tokyo-based firms, including foreign firms, asking for introductions to local real estate agents.

These Tokyo firms said they planned, or hoped, to relocate staff and computer equipment over the coming weeks to avoid potential power shortages in Tokyo over the summer and the likelihood that disruptive power conservation measures will be in place in the Kanto region for a long time to come.

"The message the Kansai region needs to send to Tokyo is that there is sufficient electricity, a well-developed transportation infrastructure, and enough office space to meet the needs of Tokyo firms looking to relocate," said Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto last week.

Kansai is also home to 19 official and 60 honorary consulates, four United Nations organizations and the World Health Organization's center for health development. After the quake, several European and Asian consulates moved some Tokyo embassy staff to Kansai.

At an April 27 meeting involving the Kansai area consulates, the Foreign Ministry and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japanese participants asked the foreign consulates to emphasize to their governments that, while there are concerns about the Fukushima plant and availability of electricity in Tokyo for the foreseeable future, western Japan is safe, stable and ready to welcome any Tokyo-based foreign diplomatic mission or business looking to relocate.

"There's been some distortion in the overseas media about the Fukushima reactor and many people think all of Japan was affected. But the Kansai region is operating normally," said OCCI head Shigetaka Sato at the meeting.

The following day, Union of Kansai Governments, a group of seven Kansai prefectures seeking greater autonomy from the central government, went further, calling on Tokyo to establish a disaster response plan that would make the Kansai region the nation's backup capital in the event Tokyo cannot function.

The seven prefectures proposed on April 28 that the central government establish specific response measures for a natural disaster that renders Tokyo inoperable.

The measures include moving the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Bank of Japan's functions to Osaka, ensuring enough office and hotel space is available to Tokyoites who are temporarily relocating, transferring the Tokyo editorial functions of NHK and the major newspapers to Osaka, designating evacuation zones throughout the region for Tokyo refugees, helping foreign delegations in Tokyo relocate to Kansai, and moving the Imperial Family to Kyoto's Imperial Palace, which is already run by the Imperial Household Agency.

"Except for Kansai, there are no regions outside Tokyo that can take on many of the functions of a capital, and none that offer maximum results for a minimum of initial investment and planning," says the April 28 plan, which was signed by the governors of Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Shiga, Wakayama, Tottori and Tokushima.

Kansai area governors and business leaders have stressed they see the region serving as a temporary, not permanent, replacement for Tokyo.

But even a temporary Kansai relocation could be difficult for many Tokyoites. Convincing those who have financial and family obligations in the area to move out for an undetermined length of time is likely to be met with strong resistance, says Joji Uehara, an Osaka area business consultant.

"While younger, single Tokyoites might not object, it will be very difficult to convince older employees with housing loans and children in local schools to pack up and move to Kansai for long periods of time without housing arrangements and good schools close by. That's a hidden cost companies, and Kansai's leaders, need to factor into plans to create a backup capital," Uehara said.

Those who have experience in both Tokyo and Osaka in particular say a bigger problem could be the long-standing rivalry between the Kansai and Tokyo regions, and the social and cultural differences that are the subject of endless debates.

In recent days, Kansai area television and radio commentators have said some Tokyoites would probably refuse to relocate to Osaka, even temporarily, simply because they're too used to the way things are done in Tokyo and too proud, or too prejudiced against Osaka, to change.

Uehara said many Tokyoites would probably be more worried about starting over in Kansai without benefit of friends and social networks. But he added that the fear of not fitting in and a tendency of Osaka people to sometimes go out of their way to emphasize their differences with Tokyo, is an issue that needs addressed.

"Historically, there have always been strong differences in the way people in Tokyo and Osaka act, behave and even speak. Many Tokyoites have a bad impression of Osaka. Some may quit their companies rather than move, and any plans for relocating from Tokyo to Kansai need to take into account these kinds of 'soft' aspects as well," said Uehara.

Would making Osaka Prefecture a 'to'-level subdivision be a good solution?

Move the capital? No. This is as ridiculous as proposing moving GB's capital out of London or France's capital out of Paris (to cite two other nations where centralization is profound- and more relevant than an apples to oranges comparison with the USA). However Gov. Hashimoto's proposal for a "backup" capital in Osaka is worth considering, not to mention a good move to revive Osaka's flagging economy.

Move the capital? No. This is as ridiculous as proposing moving GB's capital out of London or France's capital out of Paris (to cite two other nations where centralization is profound- and more relevant than an apples to oranges comparison with the USA). However Gov. Hashimoto's proposal for a "backup" capital in Osaka is worth considering, not to mention a good move to revive Osaka's flagging economy.

It's not completely out of style for Japan considering that she had moved the capital four times within recorded history(1500 years).:lol:

Move the capital? No. This is as ridiculous as proposing moving GB's capital out of London or France's capital out of Paris (to cite two other nations where centralization is profound- and more relevant than an apples to oranges comparison with the USA). However Gov. Hashimoto's proposal for a "backup" capital in Osaka is worth considering, not to mention a good move to revive Osaka's flagging economy.
How about a de-facto 'second capital,' akin to St. Petersburg or a de-facto seat of government like Abidjan and The Hague.

Alternatively, the government could spread judicial and legislative duties between Tokyo Metropolis and Osakaland, akin to the Santiago/Valparaiso division of power.

^^ or like in South Africa, with Pretoria/Cape Town/Bloemfontein for executive/legislative/judiciary organisms respectively.
Most of the action in Japan happens only on the southern half of Honshu. I'd like for one of those to be located in Hokkaido. Then again, as a どさんこ I'm biased :)

It's not completely out of style for Japan considering that she had moved the capital four times within recorded history(1500 years).:lol:

Which moves are you counting?

Which moves are you counting?

Nara, Osaka, Kobe(brief), Kyoto

Which moves are you counting?

Heijyokyo, Nagaokakyo, Heiankyo and Tokyo.
Actually they moved around quite a lot more if you just count the times they just moved the palace.

Successive capitals of Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_of_Japan#Successive_capitals_of_Japan)

What was the capital between 1603 and 1867?

What was the capital between 1603 and 1867?

To answer this you'll first need to understand the political structure at that time.
The Tokugawa Shogunate was a republic with no jurisdictional central.
Shogun was the top of the legislative arm as he resided in Edo while the emperor although he did not have any political influence was the executive chief residing in Kyoto.
Since a capital is located where the executive office is located the capital at that time was Kyoto.

Imperial capital back to Kyoto, business and the government business agencies should send more operations to Osaka. All other things need to be sent to Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Japan is silly having Tokyo be so centralized and accounting for 35% of GDP. America has many important cities throughout the country, Japan just has Tokyo.

When I see it, Japan has two main regions, The Kanto and Kansai region. So its not just Tokyo.

In fact Osaka's GDP is also large.

why does not nobody mention Nagoya?

nwxxtYCVOR4

When I see it, Japan has two main regions, The Kanto and Kansai region. So its not just Tokyo.

In fact Osaka's GDP is also large.
Maybe have the new capital's offices spread through the entirely of Osakaland.

There is no impact to transfer the capital to an existing place in which it develops.

How about somewhere in tohoku?
New demand arises economically in the depopulated Tohoku region.

Ok I'm not Japanese but come to think of it, I would prefer Kyoto to be the capital.

Tokyo is already too huge and it should more serve as Japan's showcase city and economic hub. Just like NYC in the US.

Kyoto would look beautiful for a capital city.

There is no impact to transfer the capital to an existing place in which it develops.

How about somewhere in tohoku?
New demand arises economically in the depopulated Tohoku region.

Actually, there was some ideas in the past about moving it to Tohoku to combat the constant demographic decline there (which will probably get worse now). And I agree, perhaps in Sendai.

But I can imagine the paranoia people will have about the region now.

There is no impact to transfer the capital to an existing place in which it develops.

How about somewhere in tohoku?
New demand arises economically in the depopulated Tohoku region.

or what about the western areas? maybe fukuoka?

or what about the western areas? maybe fukuoka?

Like Asakura no Tachibana no Hironiwa palace?

I always thought Kamakura had been a capital of Japan about 8-900 years ago, now I find out it's not true! You learn something every day.

I wonder if countries even need official capitals these days. It's more a historic notion where each country had one primary city where all the commerce, government, legal and cultural activity happened. We don't really need everything centralized like that anymore.

A lot of countries don't have formal capitals, or share functions around, or have a strange arrangement. Like Chile, Bolivia, Malaysia, South Africa, Germany etc. In many countries, like Brazil & Australia, the administrative capital isn't the main center of business.

Here's another bit of trivia: Paris is not officially the capital of France.

So really, Japan could just shuffle things around if it wants to hedge against disaster. Have the parliament in one place, the courts in another, the Emperor in Kyoto. Tokyo & Osaka will always be the main business centers. It's easy to move between cities. Most big businesses in Japan have backup offices as part of their operational risk management strategy anyway, and many Tokyo-based companies operated temporarily out of Osaka after 11 March.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_city

I always thought Kamakura had been a capital of Japan about 8-900 years ago, now I find out it's not true! You learn something every day.



well, it was the capital of the shoguns, but not where the emperor resided.

Osaka best backup capital, Ishihara, Hashimoto say
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110702b1.html
With fears of a major earthquake looming in the capital, Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto agreed Friday in Tokyo that the main western metropolis must be prepared to serve as a backup capital in the event of the Big One.

Hashimoto said the two governors "confirmed a certain common understanding and future directions that we will make Osaka a subcapital."

"I'll do anything" to that end, Hashimoto said.

He said he is leaning toward certain ideas, including merging the Osaka Municipal and Prefectural administrations, reckoning this would better position the area as an alternate capital.

The Kansai region's political and business leaders are trying to persuade Tokyo officials that Osaka, Kyoto or Kobe should be designated the capital where companies, government organs, foreign delegations and even the Imperial family can continue to function in the event of a Kanto disaster.

In the event of a Kanto disaster, say Osaka, Kyoto, or Kobe became designated capitals would that mean a permanent move from Tokyo? Or just short to mid-term?

They would move some functions of government to that city now...and if there is a disaster they would make it easy to transfer the other things...for the midterm (like 5 years or something). That's my guess anyways.

Is there a chance that Osaka prefecture could be someday upgraded from -fu to -to?

Is there a chance that Osaka prefecture could be someday upgraded from -fu to -to?

highly unlikely. ken, fu, do are functionally the same.. the difference is only historical now. But Tokyo as a metro is unique simply because it is the capitol and has those additional functions.

Here is something related to the topic. If this goes through it will definately challenge Tokyo

Kansai local governments aim to jointly create special zone
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9OET90G1&show_article=1

OSAKA, July 14 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Eight local governments in the Kansai region of western Japan have decided to jointly apply to the central government to create a special zone to boost the region's international competitiveness and revitalize the economy, their officials said Wednesday.

The four prefectures of Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo and Nara plus four major cities of Kyoto, Osaka, Sakai and Kobe plan to work out a master plan at an early date to win designation as an "international strategic zone," they said.

They will set up a committee as early as August in cooperation with the Kansai Economic Federation, a regional business lobby, they added.

As corporations in such a zone can enjoy tax and financial benefits, in addition to deregulation, the group hopes to gain an advantage over other areas of the country such as Tokyo and Kyushu, they said.

The local governments are considering correlating some key projects in the region under the envisaged zone, centering on those to develop Kobe's artificial Port Island as a center for medical services, Kansai International Airport and Hanshin Port as logistics bases and an area straddling Kyoto, Osaka and Nara as a research center dubbed Kansai Science City, the officials said.

The creation of special zones is one of the key policies of the national government's economic growth strategy mapped out in June 2010.

According to the Cabinet Secretariat, it expects to designate about five international strategic zones by the end of this year after accepting applications from mid-August to late September.

Here is something related to the topic. If this goes through it will definately challenge Tokyo

Kansai local governments aim to jointly create special zone
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9OET90G1&show_article=1

Meh. Japanese local governments love these titles. It looks great on a business card, I guess. But unless there is money tied to it, it means nothing. Given the current state of the Japanese national budget, I wouldn't expect much.

Plans to move capital functions out of Tokyo have been around for decades, but nothing happened. It was nothing but a scheme to shove even more taxpayer money to the big 5 construction companies. With the Tohoku rebuild, the Linear Shinkansen and a possible Tokyo Olympic in 2020, there is enough construction for decades to come. Don't expect anyone to talk about moving the capital before 2030.

In fact, it would be much better to shrink the Japanese construction industry down to a normal level (it's currently something like 33% of all jobs), but don't expect that to ever happen.

The special economic zone has nothing to do with construction, it has to do with taxes and other things (in fact that's what a special economic zone means..?).

This doesn't really have to do with moving the capital but if Osaka becomes a "metropolis" like Tokyo than it removes one more barrier for making Osaka co-capital or sharing some of the functions.

Hashimoto to resign soon as Osaka governor to run for mayor
OSAKA -- Toru Hashimoto is to resign soon as governor of Osaka Prefecture so that he can run for city mayor.

"There is no future for Osaka unless we do something about its administrative structure and the status of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka city," Hashimoto, 42, told the prefectural assembly after it approved his resignation.

"My passion is becoming dearer by the day. I can no longer suppress it," he said.

As for his planned candidacy for mayor, Hashimoto told reporters after the prefectural assembly session: "I am the only person who can promote the realization of the 'Osaka metropolitan government' plan at the Osaka city government."

This refers to a regional administration realignment plan, advocated by Hashimoto, under which the city governments of Osaka and Sakai will be replaced by a number of special administration wards headed by elected mayors, much in the same way as Tokyo is governed.

More: http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ2011102215504

Hashimoto is very popular and will most likely win the election...it will be interesting to see if Japan gets its second "Metropolis".

Here is something...

Japan considers building a back-up capital city
Japan is considering building a new city that would take over the functions of Tokyo if the capital was crippled by an earthquake or other natural disaster.

The planned new city - given the less-than-inspiring title of IRTBBC, standing for Integrated Resort, Tourism, Business and Backup City - could be built on a 1,236-acre site now occupied by Itami Airport, which used to be the main gateway to Osaka but has been largely superseded by Kansai International Airport.

It would also have office complexes, resort facilities, casinos, parks and, at 2,140ft (652 metres high), the tallest tower in the world. The new city would have some 50,000 residents and a working-day population of around 200,000 people.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Japan+considers+building+back+capital+city/5618376/story.html

:dunno:

^^:eek2: only appears in a Vancouver newspaper? I want to know Vancouver Sun correspondent in Tokyo :lol:

^^

In Case of Emergency: Japan Discusses Plans to Build ‘Backup Tokyo’

Japan can build anything, right? How about making a second Tokyo? It’s Japan’s business hub, capital, and largest, most densely populated city. But it sits on the tumultuous Ring of Fire.

Tokyo was forced to face a stark reality earlier this year when a double-whammy 9.0 earthquake and tsunami rocked a region located mere hours north. Tokyo shook moderately in the March 11th quake, recording a magnitude in the high 5s. But the quake served the city a dose of humility – what if a disaster hits the crucial business and political center that’s home to nearly nine million people?

An October meeting of high-ranking Japanese politicians showed how fearful they are of a similar quake hitting Tokyo. The parliament members birthed the idea of creating a backup Tokyo – what they referred to as a “substitute capital.” “The idea of being able to have a back-up, a spare battery for the functions of the nation, isn’t this a really good idea?” Hajime Ishii, a member of Japan’s ruling Democratic Party, asked as he unveiled the plan.

The new city, given the rather bland but explanatory name IRTBBC (Integrated Resort, Tourism, Business and Backup City), will sit nearly 300 miles southwest of Tokyo in the nation’s other business hub, Osaka. They’ve claimed two square miles of land at the Itami Airport, a largely dwindling travel hub just outside the city. The oddly-named IRTBBC will be tasked to take over all operational functions of the city, housing 50,000 people and able to accommodate 200,000 on workdays.

Politicians plan to construct office complexes, a resort, casinos and parks to support the infrastructure of the faux city. While the backup Tokyo is only in a planning state, the planners claim to have the backing of more than 100 government officials.

But the plan isn’t without contention, even from the very politicians at the heart of the matter. Osaka’s governor Hashimoto says his city will gladly accept the backup role, while Governor Ishihara of Tokyo maintains he cannot see the capital anywhere but Tokyo.


TIME (http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/11/04/in-case-of-emergency-japan-discusses-plans-to-build-%E2%80%98backup-tokyo%E2%80%99/)

mmmmm....

http://i41.************/bg3hhh.png

They can make it.
Then I expect super towers rising in the backup city they claim to build. I even suspect they will build a 1 km or 2 km tower high and with a lot of skyscrapers around them.
The question is: when they will build this city? ...No one knows..

And relating to the same topic, here is a video detailed about this issue but from the radiation perspective:
gU1XD78wKqE

Wow Tokyo 2? i scared, i living in tokyo and all people is waiting the big earthquake in Tokio....

The election is on sunday. This election is really important for japanese politics..and also the "backup capital"

Back-up capital
"We need to reform the administrative structure completely," Mr Hashimoto tells voters who gather to listen to him speak. "I will merge the city and the prefecture, because there's so much overlap in what those civil servants do," he exclaims.

His goal is to make Osaka the back-up capital city of the nation.

The Kansai region, which includes Osaka, Kyoto and Nara, was Japan's capital city for the longest period in Japan's history, so the idea has been floated before.

In 2005, 362 members of parliament formed a federation to study how and where to build an emergency capital city.

But since the 11 March earthquake, there has been a renewed urgency to do so.

"Japan would lose its function as a state if Tokyo gets struck by a big earthquake," says the federation's chairman Hajime Ishii in his blog.

Click the link to read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15786798

^^ Hashimoto and Matsui won both elections on sunday so now the mayor and governor post are controlled by Ishin no Kai so it is very likely now that Osaka will be merged into just one entity like in Tokyo... This is the 2nd election won by a grasroots party this year without the establishment, the other being in Nagoya.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-28/ex-osaka-governor-elected-mayor-on-pledge-to-merge-local-governments.html

I specially like how they're both under 50. I know they're not exactly "young", but it's a nice break from 60 year-old close-minded politicians.