1. Foreword

Prayers for former Prime Minister Abe

The state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo will be held next week. It is impermissible that this exceptional politician, deeply respected around the world, was killed by a bullet in the midst of an election, the very foundation of democracy. We need to let the world know that our country will never yield to terrorism. I would like to again express my deep condolences and sincere sympathies to his family.

Deepening intercity collaboration is the fast path to a sustainable future

This peaceful and prosperous society, which was built through the untiring efforts of our forerunners, must be passed on to the next generations. This is the responsibility of all of us living today.

But when we look around the world, we see record droughts on one hand, and on the other, unprecedented floods. It could be said that this extreme situation is a warning sent to human society regarding our inability to stop global warming. Furthermore, the situation in Ukraine, which shows no sign of ending, has led to a global competition for resources, forcing progress toward zero carbon to stall.

Global challenges, centering on climate change, have no borders. That is why it is indispensable to have a bird’s eye view of the world and for the international community to deepen solidarity in order to pursue sustainability. My recent visits to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and New York convinced me that bringing together our wisdom and experience to confront common crises is the shortcut to a sustainable future. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has taken the initiative to establish a new international network, G-NETS, and plans to invite the leaders of the world's major cities to Tokyo in February next year. At this time of international tension, it is imperative for cities to deepen their cooperation and fully demonstrate that power.

Open the way to sustainable cities through the concept of innovation

As Japan has always been dependent on foreign countries for many of its resources, we have always been swayed by trends in the international community. If our footing continues to be unsteady, we will be forced to say that an uncertain future awaits us. In addition, we are also heavily burdened by long-standing issues such as digitalization, in which we lag behind the rest of the world, the gender gap, and measures for a graying society, which is becoming an increasingly serious matter. Action taken by Japan’s capital, Tokyo, where the effects of these issues are most acutely manifested, is key to overcoming the current situation.

Innovation will bring down the walls obstructing us, and generate new value. When innovative technologies and ideas born from a diversity of players are combined, Tokyo’s capacity to solve challenges will be significantly boosted. This concept of innovation will be boldly incorporated in the operations of the Tokyo government to achieve breakthroughs that will make our city sustainable.