2. Realizing a resilient city beyond the crisis

Committing all resources to respond to impending threats

Stable supply of energy

The earthquake that occurred off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture in March triggered the issuance of the first “power crunch alert.” Even now, the thermal power plants have not fully resumed operations, and difficulties are forecasted for power supply and demand this summer and winter. If power, which supports the various activities of society, is disrupted, it will force suspension of the activities of Japan’s capital city of Tokyo. Last week, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) established the Energy Response Headquarters to share this sense of crisis throughout the government. Standing at its helm, I gave instructions that they always consider what can be done for the safety and security of the residents of Tokyo and compile measures that go one step further. This headquarters will review the challenges surrounding the metropolitan government, and will be the propellant accelerating solutions by investing the full resources of the TMG. In addition, we will also strengthen systems for execution and strongly promote measures so that we can also engage in activities in partnership with the national government and major enterprises from the two perspectives of climate change response and industrial policies.

Under the three perspectives of a campaign we call HTT, to “save (Herasu)”, “generate (Tsukuru)” and “store (Tameru)” electricity, we will refine our policies and promote the shift to a carbon-free society. First, as this summer is forecasted to be hotter than usual years, in order to overcome a power crunch we will accelerate energy saving measures in homes, as this division continues to consume a great deal of energy. “Cool biz” is now the norm for offices. Now, under Tokyo Cool Home & Biz, we will elevate this concept to home energy savings and generate a movement that links to behavioral changes. We will also expand the range of the Tokyo Zero Emission Point system, which encourages a switchover to more energy efficient home appliances, and further support the efforts of households to save energy. Though these may be small individual actions, when this becomes a unified initiative, it will be a powerful force that changes the future. I again request the cooperation of everyone so that we can, without fail, ride out this summer.

This power crunch is not the only issue we must address. We must raise our energy self-sufficiency and bolster the latent power of our city so that it is not swayed by international affairs. We must achieve “carbon-half” by 2030. To ensure that we halve our carbon emissions by this time, we will draw up a roadmap with 2026 as the midterm year, and also deepen discussions on making it mandatory for newly constructed buildings satisfying certain criteria to install ZEV chargers, ensure insulation and energy-saving performances that fulfill or are above national standards, and install solar panels, and accelerate preparations for ordinance amendment. While working to receive the understanding of the people and businesses of Tokyo, we will create a city that “saves, generates, and stores” power.

The power crisis is not an issue faced by Tokyo alone. We will encourage the installation of solar panels and other such equipment within TEPCO's service area, and have the environmental value created given back to benefit the people of Tokyo. While working together with other local governments, we will expand our options for solutions.

The world’s interest in hydrogen, which holds the key to zero carbon, continues to soar. As the battle for leadership in technological development becomes even more intense, we must accelerate the popularization of hydrogen in order to not only overcome the energy crisis, but to also strengthen our international competitiveness. We will promote the building of a foundation for realization of a true hydrogen society, including its utilization through urban development and introduction of "green hydrogen" derived from renewable energy.

We also need to change how decarbonization is considered—shifting from the perspective of costs to business opportunities. For the shift from gasoline cars to ZEVs, we will redirect excellent technologies to growth industries. We will provide support to companies that give consideration to zero carbon operations and spread fund raising that focuses on sustainability. While making such efforts, we will build a climate in which activities that are better for the environment are appreciated in the market, and transform the economy into a strong one in which small and medium-sized enterprises continuously generate innovation. It would also be important to have the tax system place “environment" as one of its cornerstones. This year’s Tax Commission of Tokyo has just started discussions on further greening of the tax system. By mobilizing all possible measures and while working together with the people and businesses of Tokyo and various stakeholders, we will promote even more efforts to realize a carbon-free society.

Protect livelihoods and the economy

To that end as well, we must support companies that are struggling with the sharp rise in raw material prices and shore up the foundation for growth. We will provide support from both financial and management aspects by not only expanding our government-backed loan system, but also strongly encouraging capital investment that contributes to business efficiency and energy conservation. In addition, in light of the tight global supply of wheat, we will promote the development of products using domestic harvests, such as rice flour from Niigata prefecture, a key rice producer. We will also take measures to curb the demerits of the yen's depreciation and turn this situation into opportunity, such as shifting the procurement of materials from overseas to Tokyo and Japan, and promoting exports by sending out more powerful messages abroad.

We will also protect the livelihoods of the people of Tokyo who continue to face difficulties due to the pandemic. In addition to strengthening counseling and support for those suffering from loneliness and isolation, we will provide many forms of support, such as securing employment opportunities for the disabled and reducing the burden of paying for school lunches at metropolitan schools. To revitalize local communities as well, we will also support the efforts of municipalities that leverage the power of digital technology, such as point redemption for cashless payments, and link this to the future vitality of each and every individual.

Support for evacuees from Ukraine

So that those fleeing the ravages of war in Ukraine can live in Tokyo with peace of mind, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government quickly set up systems including acceptance in metropolitan housing and the establishment of a consultation service. But various needs and difficulties have also surfaced with the prolongation of their evacuation. We have established a TMG-wide team to provide close support to each individual from various aspects, such as employment, childcare, and education, so that they can lead independent lives in the community.

COVID-19 response

Next, COVID-19 response.

Following the end of the period for priority preventative measures measures in March, the hospital bed occupancy rate and occupancy rate of beds for severe cases have decreased significantly, and the number of new positive cases is also trending downward. We have not seen a spread in infections after the Golden Week holidays either. In light of these circumstances, we ended the period for vigilance against a resurgence on May 22. While also considering border control measures, we will be entering the stage of curbing infection by thoroughly implementing basic infection prevention measures. I ask that the people and businesses of Tokyo continue to be mindful of such measures as frequent ventilation, avoidance of three Cs, and the proper use of masks according to the situation. Regarding the health care delivery system, while maintaining a balance with non-COVID health care, we will operate flexibly according to situations such as strain on emergency health care. Vaccination delivery will be reorganized into large venues to facilitate vaccinations by young people, and we will promote fourth vaccinations for people at risk such as the elderly. In this way, we will promote initiatives to break the chain of infections.

For those who have gotten their third shot, we will launch a trial implementation of the Motto Tokyo campaign this month, in a drive to both accelerate vaccinations and promote tourism in Tokyo. Based on movements of the national government and the situation of infections, we will align our steps with tourism promotion of all of Japan.

Looking back at our long battle with the virus, which is still ongoing, we recently prepared a compilation of the outcomes of the initiatives we had taken up to now, challenges and other relevant matters. Armed with the expertise and experiences we have gained, we will continue to confront the virus with flexible and agile countermeasures.

Building a resilient city that stands firm against any threat

Release of new damage estimates

Last week, we released new damage estimates in the event of disasters such as a major earthquake directly hitting Tokyo. The measures we had taken in hard and soft infrastructure over the years to build a city that does not collapse, burn, or spread fire, have borne fruit, with these new damage estimates being lower than those released 10 years ago. On the other hand, challenges posed by demographic and living environment changes are growing more serious, and it goes without saying that we will be sure to always be prepared for a massive earthquake that could occur at any time. We will continue to strengthen our self-support, mutual-support, and public-support programs, while making use of data, such as time-scaled descriptions of damage to infrastructure and lifelines, which were newly created.

A city resilient to floods

It’s also now or never to prepare measures for floods, which are becoming ever more rampant. We will begin discussions with experts at the end of this month on what river facilities are needed. Taking climate change into account, we will deepen studies on matters such as development targets, and development policies such as for underground rivers, and compile the direction to take. We will also speed up the revision of the basic policy to promote comprehensive initiatives in order to raise the level of all TMG heavy rainfall countermeasures and will build a resilient city that can withstand flooding.

Utility pole removal in the Tokyo islands

Power outages due to typhoons have already occurred in some parts of the Tokyo islands this season. In order to ensure the safe lives of the islanders, we must urgently bury utility lines. Based on the development plan formulated early this year, Toshima and Mikurajima have been selected as the first islands to completely remove utility poles. We will continue to accelerate such efforts in the islands.

Accelerate urban resilience projects

The key to crisis management is to assume such disaster risks and be more than ready. In order to accelerate the "Urban Resilience Project," which will upgrade our preparedness from a long-term perspective, we have established the Promotion Council, headed by the Vice Governor, to strengthen cooperation among the various bureaus. We will clarify the form that a city resilient to disasters should take, while conducting verifications based on objective data.

Strengthening rescue systems

We will also raise the safety and security of our residents by promoting infallible rescue activities. The Tokyo Fire Department has newly established the Safety Promotion Division and strengthened its crisis management system to ensure the prevention of accidents caused by human error. In addition, starting next month, the "Live 119 Image Reporting System," which shares smartphone images from 119 callers, will be introduced in the Tama area as well for more accurate rescue operations in the field, where every minute counts.

Bolstering cybersecurity

The digitalization of society, while convenient, always carries the risk of cyber-attacks. In particular, as the unique technologies and information possessed by small and medium-sized enterprises are sources for innovation, protecting them will be essential for Tokyo's ongoing development. In addition to dispatching experts to them and supporting their introduction of equipment, we will help them develop human resources who will play a central role in security measures, thereby raising the level of companies' capabilities for independent and continued response.