Fierce Competition in Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo, etc. Some criticize the construction cost of massive facilities

Osaka Castle, Japan's leading cherry blossom spot, is surrounded by cherry blossoms. [Picture = Pixabay] 사진 확대 Osaka Castle, Japan’s leading cherry blossom spot, is surrounded by cherry blossoms. [Picture = Pixabay]

In preparation for Tokyo’s administrative paralysis, which has served as Japan’s center for the past 158 years, competition among local governments across the country is heating up as the Japanese government has begun the process of designating a “副首 capital” to perform an alternative function.

The Japanese parliament recently passed a bill to establish an alternative capital to maintain government functions in the event of a large-scale natural disaster or emergency. Thirteen local governments have jumped into the bid so far, with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of financial support, tax benefits, tourism revitalization and urban regeneration opportunities expected to be given to designated areas.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 23rd (local time), major competing cities include Osaka, a traditional commercial center, Fukuoka in Kyushu, Hokkaido in the north, Nagoya in the central part, and Gunma Prefecture, a mountainous area with a population of 1.9 million.

Local government heads hold press conferences one after another to emphasize the legitimacy of attracting, and Osaka has even created cat mascot characters named Nani and Fukumaru to promote them. Nagoya is based on the manufacturing industry, and Sapporo, Hokkaido, has geographical safety from the southern Nankai Sea Valley earthquake zone as its core strength.

Masashi Kawai, a policy officer at the Tokyo Foundation, a think tank, said, “It’s like a huge festival. There’s a widespread atmosphere that we shouldn’t miss the gold rush.”

This is not the first time that the concept of plural capital has been discussed in Japan. If Edo (now Tokyo) was the political and administrative center of Shogun’s rule during the Edo period (1603-1868), Kyoto shared the role of the cultural and symbolic center where the emperor lived.

The geographical danger located in the Pacific Rim midwifery (ring of fire) is behind the recent rapid increase in attraction discussions. Amid constant warnings of the possibility of a “direct earthquake in the capital” in metropolitan areas, including Tokyo, the population of Tokyo increased to 37 million last year, intensifying overcrowding and local extinction at the same time.

However, there are many concerns and political criticism surrounding the feasibility of the project. Opposition parties and some experts point out that practical disaster prevention measures such as ground stability surveys are insufficient, and Osaka, a strong candidate, is also not free from earthquake risks.

Some opponents criticize the plan as a misconception to give preferential treatment to Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s aides. In particular, the Japan Innovation Party, one of Takaichi’s closest political parties, has long sought to turn its home city of Osaka into an alternative capital.

There are warnings that the cost of building an alternative facility for the government office is accompanied, and that the decentralization of the capital could lead to a concentration of population in another large city, accelerating local hollowing out.

The final winner is expected to be decided by Prime Minister Takaichi. An official timetable has yet to be set, but the ruling party’s cabinet is expected to draw up a list of requirements for the establishment of a second capital in the coming months.