3. Using the success of the Games as a springboard to create a bright future

A strategic vision for Tokyo’s future to serve as a compass to a bright future

The strategic vision for Tokyo’s future was formulated last December to serve as a compass guiding us toward the successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the securing of a bright future for the years beyond 2020. The key to ensuring Tokyo’s continued growth into the future is establishing a society where “people” who open up the new era can greatly shine. This conviction led us to portray 20 visions for Tokyo in the 2040s in the strategic vision, with the underlying goal to create a Tokyo where people “shine,” and which is also “safe and secure,” “world-leading,” “beautiful,” “enjoyable,” and “makes advances through all-Japan efforts.”

Everyone leading active lives according to their personal style; Tokyo driving the global economy with the world’s highest productivity; and Tokyo in true co-existence and co-prosperity with all of Japan through deep regional ties across the country. Toward these visions, we will swiftly and strongly roll out about 120 “promotion projects” through active coordination and cooperation with the municipalities, private companies, NPOs, and other organizations. We must also steadily connect the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Games to the future. By having these initiatives lead to the formulation of the new long-term plan next fiscal year, we will boldly carve out a bright future for Tokyo and Japan that strikes a balance between “growth” and “maturity.”

A New Vision for Metropolitan Government Reform for the TMG to achieve a further leap

Through advancement of the Reform Plan for 2020, which is done under the initiative of the employees, the TMG has achieved a number of results, including further progress in information disclosure and implementation of analyses and reviews of major programs. In April, two TMG policy collaboration organizations were merged to accelerate measures toward realization of sustainable Tokyo waterworks. We will continue to push forward reforms without relaxing our efforts.

Recently, a “New Vision for Metropolitan Government Reform,” which developed upon the Reform Plan for 2020, was released for the TMG to grow yet more as an organization that supports Tokyo’s bright future. In the next stage of the reform, we will work to establish “agility” that allows us to swiftly and flexibly respond to changes in the environment and needs surrounding the metropolitan administration, and “design thinking” that enables us to deeply delve into problems through the eyes of Tokyo citizens and constantly refine our policies and services. Taking into account the opinions of the people of Tokyo, we will compile concrete reform measures in an action policy.

The FY2020 Initial Budget Proposal to take a step toward the future

We will ensure the successful delivery of the Tokyo 2020 Games, build a legacy to be passed on to following generations, and take a strong first step toward the future portrayed in the strategic vision. To this end, a 7.354 trillion yen FY2020 Initial Budget has been compiled, which is the second largest budget after that of this fiscal year. This initial budget has again this year been compiled to appropriate funds where they are needed and reduce funds where they are not. The funds are mainly apportioned to programs that create Tokyo’s future, while full project reviews were able to secure 103 billion yen in fiscal resources.

With economic contraction due to a shrinking population and rising expenditures from a super-graying society projected for the future, it is vital that we generate sustainable growth through investment based on the strategic vision, while advancing sound financial management through more thorough project reviews under the reform vision. By establishing a more solid and flexible financial base from a long-term perspective, we will assure a bright future.