In developed countries, traditional city centers are prone to stagnate or to decline, influenced by large-scale retail stores in the suburbs. On the other hand, there are some successful examples of revitalizing city centers, especially in Germany. In Dortmund, a Ufo-shaped large-scale retail project was planned on the main station, and revitalizing the city center was discussed at the same time. So, it is important to analyze these movements in comparison with Japan. Main differences are as follows. 1) Retail stores are treated as a city planning and discussed openly. In decision making process, expected retail sales estimated by commercial consultants plays an important role. 2) Not only the quantity of retail areas, but also their quality is examined. It is also significant, that the number of parking lots is limited.
