Chapter 1 Section 3 Issues and Approaches in Relation to Land Use

1.	The Establishment of a Competitive Urban Land Regime

(a) The Supply of Office Buildings and Population Return to the City Center

Currently, large developments are being promoted continuously, mainly in the city centers. This is partly due to the large supply of sites - such as former JR (Japan Railway Companies) sites and underutilized land-sites owned by corporations. But it also derives from concerns over the earthquake resistance of buildings, concerns that have been enhanced since the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake in 1995. The requirement for high-grade buildings - from the viewpoint of maintaining international competitiveness - is also a factor. This in turn is driven by the diffusion of internet use and the relocation of foreign affiliated corporations through economic globalization. Population retreat to the country's city centers is also advanced. This is because of the provision of new residential land previously used for under-utilized production facilities in the city center. It is also due to the supply of an increased number of condominium apartments in the city center, which in turn is due to the declining price of residential property caused by the slowing down of land prices and reduced construction costs. These days, it is necessary to improve the quality of the total living environment in urban areas where proximity between work place and residence, and a mixture of office and retail functions, are being realized. It is important that the construction of large-scale office buildings and the supply of condominium apartments in the city-centers contribute to improvements in the amenity and competitiveness of Japan's cities.

Chart:	Trends in Floor-space per Office Worker (a comparison with foreign cases)



Source:	survey by Research Institute of Construction and Economy
On the other hand, with the slowing down of new office demand due to economic stagnation the so called "year 2003 problem" - centering on concerns about market deterioration - is attracting attention. This is because this year the supply of office space stemming from large office developments will reach its highest level ever. The level of office supply, including small and medium-size buildings, is around 60% of that in the bubble period. Also, because new supply will largely decline from next year, demand and supply will undergo some adjustment in the next few years. However, if office demand declines substantially due to a continuous deterioration of economic conditions, an improvement in the demand-supply situation will become more difficult to achieve. In order to improve the demand-supply situation in the office-building sector the most important prerequisite is to promote economic recovery as a whole by implementing comprehensive economic measures.

Chart:	Office Supply Trends in 23 Wards in Tokyo



Source:	"Statistics about Construction Starts" by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, "Market Trend Research for Large Scale Office Building in Tokyo (23 ward area)" by Mori Building Co. Ltd.
Note1:	"Lange Scale Office Building": total floor area is more than 10,000 sqm
Note2:	Supply of small size buildings were deemed as total construction starts minus construction starts for large scale office buildings three years ago

From the viewpoint of the international competitiveness it is necessary to provide high-quality buildings, and to promote the renewal of existing buildings. In the case of small and medium size buildings, for which we expect it will be difficult to improve competitiveness, it will be more effective to convert these buildings from office to residential use.

(b)	Issues Facing Suburban Residential Areas and their Future Direction
We have a population returning to the country's city centers. On the other hand, residential land in suburban areas is suffering from land price decline in areas with inferior local conveniences and slowing down of community activities is concerned as a result of the aging population. It is expected therefore that new residential development in suburbs will diminish. However, it is also expected that demand for suburban residential property will be strong where residents can enjoy comfortable living in proximity to the natural environment.

Chart:	Living Preferences of the Aged (Urban Center or Suburbs)


Source:	"Survey about Public Opinion concerning Future National Land " (June 2001) by Cabinet Office

(c)	Urban Renewal through Landscape Development
One effective method of urban renewal is to enhance regional attractiveness through the development of the landscape and character space. Currently, townscapes and landscapes are not appreciated in Japan, but with the dwindling birthrate, the aging population and the maturing economy it will be more and more important to develop towns that attract visitors and where residents can live easily.

Chart:	The Appreciation of Townscape and Landscape by Citizens in Japan


Source:	"The General Public's Opinion on Land Issues" (January 2003) by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

These days landscape ordinances are enacted by many local authorities and such measures are implemented in each area. In all, 445 landscape ordinances have been enacted by 414 city, town and village governments. This represents around 13% of all city, town and village governments in Japan,

<case: Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture>

Ichibangai Shopping Arcade in Kawagoe City (Kawagoe Ichibangai Shotengai) is composed mainly of traditional town houses constructed in the Kura style (Kurazukuri) in the latter half of Meiji era (1868 to 1912). With the opening of the railway station in Meiji 28 (1896) the commercial center of Kawagoe gradually moved to the area around the station, and from that time the Ichibangai Shotengai began to decline as commercial area. From 1983 or thereabouts, citizen-led measures for urban development commenced with the aim of revitalizing the shopping arcade using townscape conservation. In 1988, a "Townscape Committee" was established by the citizens, and in the following year "Town Development Guidelines" were established by the Committee. Through these activities a system of landscape development was established, with the shopping arcade occupants voluntarily checking all designs for new development. In the same year, a Townscape Ordinance was enacted by the Kawagoe City administration, and today townscape measures are being implemented, including regulations regarding condominium apartments and the provision of amenities (such as the improvement of pedestrian safety). As the result of landscape development the number of sightseers in Kawagoe has been increasing since 1990. Also, the downward trend in land-prices has been diminishing in Kawagoe compared to the average for Saitama Prefecture, and in particular compared to those cities in Saitama Prefecture located within 30 kilometers of Tokyo.

Chart:	Fluctuations in Land Prices within Kawagoe Ichiban Shopping Arcade


Source:	"Published Land Prices" (Comparison between a pint at 5-11 Kawagoe and the average of points of land for commercial properties in Saitama Prefecture) by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Note:	"Similar condition commercial lands": average of standard points for commercial land, more than 500 meter from stations, in major cities in Saitama Prefecture located within 30 kilometers of Tokyo

2. Land Use Issues and Approaches to the Revitalization of Local Areas

With the slowing down of the local economy, the dwindling birthrate and aging population the demand for land in local areas in particular has been declining. Also, while there have been increasing population concentrations in Tokyo and in other major regional cities, population numbers in local areas have been declining. In these local areas there are numerous land-use problems including under-utilized industrial land caused by slumping local industry and factories relocating overseas. Added to this problem is the hollowing-out of local city centers, the disorderly development of former agriculture land, a deterioration of the living environment and the loss of attractive natural features such as suburban hills and rural/agricultural landscapes.

(a) Establishment of a Basic Plan for Land Use Adjustment

In some areas land-use measures are promoted by establishing plans in consultation with local citizens.

<case: Iide Town in Yamagata Prefecture>
Between 1987 and 2000, a land use-plan for each district in Iide Town was prepared, in the main, by the local citizens. Based on this, a Basic Plan for Land Use Adjustment was established covering the whole town.

<Outline of the Basic Plan for Land Use Adjustment in the Town of Iide >

Fundamental objective:	maintaining the local townscape
Fundamental principles:	the promotion of land-use to improve life by utilizing garden space the promotion of land-use in a democratic and consistent manner
Categories of land use:	town was divided into seven areas with land use standards for each area as follows: Forestry conservation area, Forestry production area, Usable suburban hills Agricultural production area Environmental agriculture area Residential area River, lake and water area

<case: Kitakyushu Eco Town>

In the Hibikinada area of Wakamatsu Ward in Kita-Kyushu City, 2,000 ha of land was developed including the former Yahata Steel Mill site owned by Nippon Steel. In recognition of the importance of environmental issues the Kitakyushu City administration prepared a "Kitakyushu Eco Town Plan" which encouraged the co-location of industrial facilities, mainly from the environmental sector. As a result, environmental and recycling industries are now co-locating on the old steel mill site, and business development is promoted through collaboration on basic environmental industry projects such as Zero Emission and re-cycling. The Eco Town experimental area also conducts experiments on the most advanced technologies in waste-disposal and re-cycling. All this is done through collaboration with relevant enterprises, local administrations and academic institutions; and the Kita-Kyushu city government is aiming to develop the area into a center for environmental technology research.

City-center problems are more severe in small cities with their smaller populations. In future, it will be necessary to provide for residents' living standards, and to achieve a long-term and lasting urban development regime in circumstances marked by a dwindling birthrate, an aging population and moderated socio-economic growth. In order to fulfill these requirements, central city areas - being the hub of city-residents' activities and the symbol of the city - will be ever more important. In order to revitalize the country's central city areas, each city needs to clarify the issues and objectives for its various districts, and take measures that utilize its special characteristics. In this process, it is necessary to promote re-population of the city-center, to develop a safe environment for pedestrians and so on.

<case: Iida City, Nagano Prefecture: the renewal of built-up areas through development of the residential environment.>

Iida City in Nagano Prefecture is a small to medium city with a population of around 100,000. Like many other local cities, Iida City suffers from a hollowing-out of the city-center as the population moves to surrounding areas driven by relocation to the suburbs of urban functions (such as medical, educational and commercial facilities). Iida City found that the main reason for this hollowing out was the existance of inhospitable conditions in city-center. Hence, they promoted redevelopment in the city-center aimed at achieving an "easy to live" environment. For example, Iida City promoted the formation of community groups and completed a building redevelopment "Top Hills Honmachi" to act as a center for community development. "Top Hills Honmachi" is a 10-story building with a site area of around 3,070 sqm. The tenants include retail shops, a dentist, city hall customer-service counters, a welfare office, a citizens' lobby (on the lower level) and condominium apartments on the upper levels.

3. The Conservation of Farm Land and Forests

Infertile farmlands and forests are increasing, and this is presenting problems. If these conditions are left as they are, the role the farmlands and forests have played will deteriorate. This role includes the supply of food and timber, the preservation of top-soil (including protection from avalanches), the regulation of ground-water movement, conservation of the natural environment and the provision of an attractive landscape. At the same time, with population concentration in the country's urban areas, the maturing of the economy and the citizens' growing sense of value, people tend to attach importance to the natural environment and to the wealth of spirit provided by such an environment. Farmlands and forests are seen as healing places for residents in urban areas. In many places, systems are in place for urban residents to participate in farming and in the maintenance of suburban forests.

Chart:

Trends in the Number of Open Citizen Farms

	Mar-93	Mar-00	Mar-01	Mar-02
numbe of farm lands (number of facilities）	691	2319	2512	2676
area（ha）	202.4	696.4	810.2	874.4

Source:

survey conducted by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Note:

those established based on "Development and Promotion of Open Citizen Farms Act" and "Act of Special Cases on Agricultural Land Act concerning Determined Farm Land Leases"

<Case: Suburban Forest Owner System - Himi City, Toyama Prefecture>

In Himi City (Toyama Prefecture) suburban forests were once used by nearby residents but with changes in their life style, these areas have been rendered infertile. On the other hand, there are continuing demands from residents in urban areas wishing to spend time in these forests. In order to regenerate suburban forests through various activities that center on the forest, a suburban forest-owner system was introduced in FY 2001, devised by the forest owners themselves. Thereafter, measures to conserve and utilize suburban forests were initiated by the suburban forest owners and other people in the areas concerned. As of March 2003, 14 such groups of suburban forest owners were active.

Chart:	The number of Non-resident Sightseers visiting Kawagoe


Source:	Outline of "Estimate" Research about Sightseers Visiting Saitama Prefecture

Chart:	Difficult Aspects in Addressing City Center Problems　(by Population)


Source:	"Survey about Current Status and Issues on Land Use in Local Cities" (February 2003) by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport