2014 Volume 123 Issue 4 Pages 528-541
Tokyo has accumulated more than half of Japan's key controlling functions in a information-oriented society. Consequently, the disadvantages of accumulation have outweighed its advantages. If a massive earthquake hit the capital city, the politico-economic nerve center of Japan would collapse and it could trigger off politico-economic instability in the world. Tokyo's capital functions should be decentralized in order to prevent such global adversity from happening.
Decentralizing the capital functions would be effective in promoting overall political reforms, rectifying overconcentration of key functions in Tokyo and improving nation's emergency response capabilities to disasters. Once the decentralization were implemented, Tokyo could rediscover its unique potentialities based on newly developed concepts, which would lead to creating a brighter future for “Tokyo as a world city.”
The location of the Central Gunma is ideal for the decentralization of Tokyo's capital functions. Conveniently located at about 100 km from Tokyo, the area could closely cooperate with Tokyo. Moreover, fewer natural disasters have had hit the area, which means that it could accommodate bases serving as backups for Tokyo's essential systems. In addition, the Central Gunma is located in a commanding position to oversee both the Pacific Rim Economic Region and the Japan Sea Rim Economic Region.
