3. Realizing a sustainable recovery by leveraging decarbonization and digitalization

In order to restore Tokyo’s economy, our goal must not simply be a return to pre-COVID days. Transitioning to carbon neutral is a global trend, and digital transformation (DX) must be advanced at an explosive speed. We will not only respond agilely to such structural changes around society, but will also have these propel sustainable growth. We will strongly promote initiatives to achieve a sustainable recovery, and transform Tokyo into the world’s city of choice.

Urban development that looks to the future

Symbolic of investment in the future to guide us to the next stage is the Tokyo Bay eSG Project. Water, greenery, risk management, digital technology, innovation, and diverse forms of mobility are indispensable for Tokyo's growth. We will lead the world in creating a sustainable next-generation city where these elements that lead to people's happiness are naturally integrated. For the realization of this vision, last week we released a draft of the urban development strategy that envisions the Bay Area in the 2040s. While deepening cooperation with various stakeholders, we will encourage private sector development and promote future urban development that will serve as a model for the world. Along with this, in coordination with this strategy as well, we will also formulate a policy for implementing the urban development of Tsukiji. This vast plot of land in the city center will serve as the stage where the area’s history, food culture, and other potentials will be fully leveraged to significantly enhance Tokyo’s appeal and to continue to attract visitors.

Realization of “Carbon Half” by 2030

COP26 ended the other day. When I was the Minister of the Environment, I attended this conference three times, from COP9 to 11. At that time Japan was truly a leading country in environmental policies, and I recall receiving many requests from other countries to learn from us. As the race heats up for leadership in preparing international rules for decarbonization, Tokyo, one of the world’s largest cities, must take the top position and lead Japan and the world again.

We will evolve upon Tokyo’s renewable energy and energy-saving measures, and blaze the trail for our country to transition to zero carbon. At the last regular session of this assembly, I announced that we will make it obligatory for houses and other buildings to install photovoltaic power systems. In addition to these plans, in order to strengthen and expand programs such as the cap-and-trade program, which is gathering much interest from other countries around the world, we asked a council to discuss amendment of the Environmental Conservation ordinance. Moreover, in order to further clarify the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders such as the industrial sector and households, we recently indicated new goals for carbon and energy reduction by sector to halve carbon emissions by 2030, what we call “carbon half,” and released the basic framework of measures to realize this. Our actions over the coming 10 years will form our future. With the understanding and collaboration of the residents and businesses of Tokyo, we will confront this climate crisis by gathering the full resources of Tokyo.

Create a virtuous circle of the environment and economy

We will also work to stimulate industries that contribute to the environment. We will promote innovation through, among others, provision of development assistance by the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute and grants to startups engaged in zero emission technology innovation. In addition, the widespread use of electric motorcycles, which have low impact on the environment, will also strengthen the competitiveness of our world-leading domestic manufacturers. Not only will Tokyo’s organizations, centering on the Metropolitan Police Department and Tokyo Fire Department, take the lead in introducing these vehicles, but this weekend we will hold an event to familiarize our residents with them through test rides and other experiences, and fully convey their appeal.

The development and introduction of new technologies that contribute to global warming measures will generate sustainable growth and raise our international competitiveness. In order to establish this virtuous cycle of the environment and the economy, the power of finance is indispensable. Based on the Global Financial City: Tokyo Vision 2.0, which was just released, we will secure a flow of capital to promote green initiatives. Moreover, we will establish the TMU Tokyo Research Initiative for Sustainability, which will collect the research capacity of the Tokyo Metropolitan University, and provide academic support for tackling the various challenges faced by the metropolitan government, centering on galvanizing green finance, and this will be linked to the realization of a sustainable society.

Promotion of digital transformation

Achieve a connected Tokyo through the “Tokyo Data Highway”

The infrastructure for promotion of digital transformation (DX) is an ultra high-speed mobile network, the “Data Highway.” In order to expand the installation of 5G base stations, in addition to releasing 15,000 metropolitan-owned facilities for these stations, last week we launched a new initiative to have private companies provide information on their assets. Moreover, through the Tokyo Data Highway Summit that will be held next January, we will deepen collaboration even more with telecommunications carriers, and through such public-private partnerships, we will strongly promote initiatives for the realization of a Smart Tokyo.

Collaboration between civic technology and government

The COVID-19 information website, “Updates on COVID-19 in Tokyo,” which was launched by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government last year, was highly appraised. It even received the Good Design Award. The source code is made publically available, and the site is continuously improved through civic participation. In order to promote such leading initiatives of civic technology to find solutions to government service issues, next month we will be holding a Hackathon where participants compete in developing digital services using Tokyo’s open data. Through this event, collaboration between civic technology and government will create a new mechanism to generate totally new services.

Accelerating DX through the power of startups

The attraction of startups is their power to agilely catch the needs of the times and continuously shape response. We will link the innovative DX-accelerating products and services of up-and-coming entrepreneurs to leading enterprises and other organizations for their utilization, and through this, promote their social implementation. Pitch events, which will be the bridge for such efforts, will be held intensively from the start of the new year. Detailed support will be provided by experts to facilitate company matchups. By firmly supporting the bold efforts of startups, their budding innovations will be linked to Tokyo’s further evolution.

One-to-one computing in high schools

We will build an environment where no one is left behind and all children can take the initiative to learn and grow while holding hopes for the future. For this as well, the promotion of DX in education is extremely important. At the last regular assembly, I mentioned in my policy speech that we will advance studies on introducing one-to-one computing in metropolitan high schools from the next fiscal year. To ensure that all students in metropolitan high schools possess their own PC, which is an indispensable tool in the classroom, we will establish a system to subsidize all households for the cost of purchasing a PC, setting the cost that guardians must bear at 30,000 yen. For households with three or more children, we will further reduce this cost by half.

Reform of industrial high schools

Industrial high schools, which have fostered the talent supporting the foundations of Tokyo’s industries will be reborn as schools of the new age that produce the personnel needed for digital transformation. Last week, the interim report on this plan, the Next Kogyo START Project, which steps forth on this next path for industrial high schools, was released. We are also examining changes to the school name to fit this new image. Based on the opinions of our citizens and discussions within this assembly, we prepare a strategy by the end of this fiscal year.