No.73 National Urban Issues Conference

The National Urban Issues Conference was held in Naha City from November 9 to 10, 2017, and I attended. This conference is co-hosted by the National Mayors' Association, the Goto-Yasuda Memorial Tokyo Urban Research Institute, the Japan Urban Center, and the host city, Naha. Mayors, city council members, local government officials, researchers, and others from across the country gather to discuss urban issues and local autonomy.
This year marks the 79th conference, which has a long history. The first conference was held in Osaka City in 1927, and the second in Tokyo City in 1930. Since then, it has been held every other year in various locations, and after a hiatus during wartime, it has been held annually across the country since the 23rd conference in Osaka City.
The theme of the first conference was fire prevention, architecture, improvement of substandard housing, land readjustment, and public parks. The second conference focused on the control of suburban areas, street traffic control, and beneficiary burden, indicating that issues relevant to the times were being addressed. While I hold great respect for the pioneering efforts of our predecessors, I also feel a sense of reflection that issues identified 90 years ago have not been completely resolved today.
The Goto-Yasuda Memorial Tokyo Urban Research Institute was renamed when the Tokyo City Administration Research Association, founded by then-Tokyo Mayor Shinpei Goto in 1922, transitioned to a public interest foundation in 2012.
Mayor Goto advocated for the establishment of a large-scale research organization to scientificize political administration. Upon taking office as Tokyo Mayor in 1917, he proposed the establishment of an independent research organization modeled after the New York City Administration Research Association. This was realized with the generous donation of 3.5 million yen from banker Zenjiro Yasuda, which was an extraordinary amount at the time. The City Administration Hall and Hibiya Public Hall were constructed based on this donation, and in 1999, they were designated as historical buildings by Tokyo Metropolis.

On the first day of the conference, there were presentations from five speakers. Among them, Naha City Mayor Mikiko Shigemura reported on community development in Naha City, which is advancing towards becoming an international city. Associate Professor Yusuke Yamashita from the Graduate School of Humanities at Tokyo Metropolitan University gave a lecture on "The Reality of a Declining Population Society and the Role of Urban Municipalities," and Professor Yoshirou Shimaji, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at the University of the Ryukyus, spoke about "Okinawa Tourism Entering a New Stage."
Recent discussions on regional revitalization have focused on tourism businesses that expect inbound visitors, and Okinawa, as an international city, is also promoting itself as a tourism-oriented prefecture. However, according to Mr. Yamashita, the significance of tourism lies in interaction rather than merely making profits. While sectors like transportation and accommodation benefit, there is a fact that tourist destinations providing direct content do not receive much financial return.
On the second day of the conference, Professor Haruhiko Goto from Waseda University served as the coordinator, and a panel discussion with five participants was held. The theme was "The Charm of Cities Connected by People and Regional Revitalization Strategies," where panelists discussed the practices of community development from both public and private perspectives, focusing on human connections.
After the closing, there was a brief time to inspect Naha City before boarding the plane, and we visited the former Navy Command Bunker located on a small hill in Tomigusuku. While amazed by the massive underground facility built by human labor amidst a shortage of materials just before the end of the war, I was reminded once again of the horrors of war and the importance of peace.
This was the first time in 90 years that Okinawa Prefecture hosted the event, and given the current political instability and military situation in East Asia, it was very significant to hold it in Okinawa, which is at the center of base and territorial issues. I believe we need to visit Okinawa more and learn about it.