Case Study on Territorial Development in Japan
Word War second left Japan crippled, affecting its economy, governance, demography, settlements, social well-being, and others. However, Japan used this as an opportunity to restructure itself to become a progressive, balanced, and well-rounded cou...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/434651560830510154/Case-Study-on-Territorial-Development-in-Japan http://hdl.handle.net/10986/31940 |
| Summary: | Word War second left Japan crippled,
affecting its economy, governance, demography, settlements,
social well-being, and others. However, Japan used this as
an opportunity to restructure itself to become a
progressive, balanced, and well-rounded country. Spatial or
territorial development is critical to national economic
transformation. It is supported by and simultaneously
impacts economic, social, demographic, institutional, and
administrative reforms. Based on lessons from a wide range
of international experiences, three key agendas arise as key
to effective territorial development: (a) concentration:
create generic capital for an uncertain future economy, (b)
connectivity: connect markets nationally and
internationally, and (c) convergence: ensure decent living
standards everywhere. Japan has followed a virtuous path of
quite intense concentration, with early investment in strong
connectivity between places, and in high living standards
and human capital investments everywhere. At present, Japan
is entering an era of substantial decline and aging of the
population, which requires reexamining of all the plans and
policies for reconstructing the society. Looking forward,
Japan’s declining, and aging population, in fact raises the
importance of allowing concentration in a few dynamic,
high-amenity, places that can be serviced efficiently,
rather than trying to spread a dwindling population across
the country. |
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