Abstract
The great earthquake disaster that took place in eastern Japan has forced Japanese society to incorporate new trends in its lifestyle. I believe that bicycles will play a major role in this switchover. Because the bicycle can be used to move and transport people and objects without using fuel, it has been a very effective transport tool in the stricken areas. At the same time, there are various problems that arise with heightened us of bicycles. In non-damaged areas or areas where there was considerably less damage, people are conserving energy by using bicycles with the idea that the energy saved can be sent to the stricken areas as an expression of support. However, the environment for bicycle-users in urban areas can be rather dangerous, and the increase in inexperienced bicycle commuters has been the source of numerous new issues. The main cause for such problems stems from the laws and systems of Japan ; not only the government but also many of Japan′s citizens do not fully understand structural problems that are caused by inflexible laws and systems. This impedes the possibility of making important social changes. In this paper, I take into consideration these structural problems and the social “misunderstanding” that is at work in our society. I report on the current situation and make a personal recommendation regarding what might be the most important elements to focus on in future town planning projects.
