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The New National Land Sustainability Plan

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

National and Regional Planning Bureau

National Planning Division

Facing declining population of our country, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

decided to drastically revise the former Comprehensive National Land Development Act and to

replace the Comprehensive National Development Plans with the New National land Sustainability

Plan, in order to ensure national and regional planning systems that will adequately meet the needs of

the new era. Here we would like to report about the new national and regional planning systems and

introduce our approaches to formulate the future National land Sustainability Plan.

1. Background of the past national and regional plans

National and regional plans are long-term, comprehensive and spatial plans to show the ideal state

of territory that is comprised of land, water, nature, social infrastructures, industry accumulation,

culture, human resources and others.

Starting from the 1st Comprehensive National Development Plan that was formulated in 1962, our

national and regional planning after the WWII had been centered around the Comprehensive

National Development Plan, based on the Comprehensive National Land Development Act (Figure

1).

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Figure 1: Comparison of Comprehensive National Development Plans

Comprehensive National

Development Plan New Comprehensive

National Development Plan

3rd Comprehensive National Development Plan

4th Comprehensive National Development Plan

Grand Design for the 21st Century

Date of Approval by the Cabinet October 5, 1962 May 30, 1969 November 4, 1977 June 30, 1987 March 31, 1998

Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda Eisaku Sato Takeo Fukuda Yasuhiro Nakasone Ryutaro Hashimoto Background 1. Transition to high

growth economy 2. Overpopulation and

disparity in income 3. National

income-doubling plan (Pacific Belt Zone Project)

1. High growth economy2. Concentration of

population and industry in metropolitan areas

3. Advancement of information technology, globalization, and technical renovation

1. Stable economic growth

2. Signs of decentralization of population and industry

3. It became obvious that national resources and energies are limited

1. Concentration of population and various functions in Tokyo

2. Employment issues in non-metropolitan areas are more serious for reasons such as drastic structural changes in industry

3. Advancement of full-scale globalization

1. Global age(Global environmental issues,megacompetiton,and exchanges with Asian nations)

2. Decreasing population and the aging society

3. Information-oriented society

Target Achievement Year 1970 1985 about 10 years from 1977 around 2000 2010-2015

Basic Objectives Well-balanced development between

regions

Creation of a rich environment

Improvement of the general living environment

Formation of a multipolar country

Prepare the basics for a multiaxial structure

Development Method

Development of regional hubs

Decentralization of industry is needed to achieve the objectives of this plan. Efforts must be made to develop regional hubs, by organically relating them to and promoting interaction with the existing production mass in Tokyo and other metropolitan areas, with a new transportation and communication network. Such development shall be performed by maintaining the characteristics of the peripheral areas and achieving a chain reaction that promotes regionally balanced development.

Large-scale project development

Promote large-scale projects by developing transportation networks, such as the Shinkansen (bullet train) and expressways, to mitigate the uneven use of land and solve problems such as overpopulation, depopulation, and regional disparities.

Stable settlement concept Promote development of non-metropolitan areas while controlling the concentration of population and industry in metropolitan areas. Make efforts to achieve a well-balanced use of the national territory while responding to the issues of overpopulation and depopulation, with the aim of creating a better living environment for citizens.

Interactive network concept Establish a multipolar pattern territory with the following initiatives: (1) Promote a

creative/innovative improvement of each area of national territory by maximizing regional characteristics

(2) Develop backbone transportation, information, and communication networks nationwide in accordance with the national program or initiatives led by the national government

(3) Establish various interaction opportunities through a joint effort between the national government, each regions, and private institutions.

Participation and Cooperation

– This plan conceives the participation of diverse entities and cooperation between regions as the basis for national and regional development.– (Four Strategies) 1. Build nature-rich

residential areas (small cities, agricultural and fishing areas, hilly and mountainous areas)

2. Renovate metropolitan areas (renovation, renewal, and effective use of spheres in large cities)

3. Form regional cooperation corridors (regional partnership taking the form of axis)

4. Form international spheres of interaction on a large scale (which has global interactive functions)

The Comprehensive National Development Plan, which was established five times in the past, has

been formulated and promoted to solve various problems reflecting the needs of each era. As more

than half a century has passed since the end of WWII, decentralization of plants and educational

institutions (Figure 2) and growth of province and prefecture center cities has been promoted all over

Japan. From a long-term perspective starting from the end of WWII until today, the trend of acute

population flow to the metropolitan area has been converging (Figure 3), and income gaps between

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regions have been also significantly reduced. When looking at each region, living environment has

been also greatly improving, such as signs of pollution prevention and congestion reduction seen in

metropolitan areas, and the pervasion and improvement of public facilities and infrastructures

achieved in non-metropolitan areas. With these progresses, Japanese people are now able to pay

attention to the beauty of national land, establishment of unique local cultures, and coexistence with

nature.

However, the unipolar structure concentrated in Tokyo and the Pacific Belt Region is not yet to be

entirely redressed. There are still many provincial areas troubled by depopulation problems, and

fright from the central urban districts is becoming a serious problem in local cities. In metropolitan

areas, issues such as rearranging overcongested urban districts are left to be problematic, in terms of

disaster prevention and living environment. Furthermore, the landscape is now quite disordered due

to the sprawl in suburbs, and the land use that is lacking harmony with its surroundings in rural areas.

Land and water contamination and dumping of illegal wastes are also becoming social problems.

30

40

50

60

70

1955

1975

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Three metropolitan areas Non-metropolitan areas

(Year）

Figure 2: Trends in the Share of Industrial Shipment Value by Region

(Source) Prepared by the National and Regional Planning Bureau, Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport, according to “Census of Manufactures”by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Note) Three metropolitan areas: Tokyo area (Saitama Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo Metropolis and Kanagawa Prefecture)Kansai area (Kyoto Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture and Nara Prefecture)Nagoya area (Gifu Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture and Mie Prefecture)

６０．１

３９．９

49.6% (Three metropolitan areas)

50.4% (non metropolitan areas)

(Share of nationwide total, %)

4

8,000 people（Nagoya）

101,000 people（Tokyo）

377,000 people

（2004）

Figure 3: Convergence in the Trends of Population flow into Metropolitan Areas(Number of net inflow.

Unit: 10,000 people)

Tokyo metropolitan

area211, 00 people

63,000 people

-651,000 people

Peak of the net outflow from Non-metropolitanareas (1961)

(Year)

Source: Prepared by the National and Regional Planning Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, based on “Annual report on the internal migration in Japan derived from the basic resident registers” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Note: Definition of each regions are as follows.Tokyo metropolitan area: Saitama Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo Metropolis, Kanagawa PrefectureNagoya metropolitan area: Gifu Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Mie Prefecture Kansai metropolitan area: Kyoto Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Nara PrefectureThree major metropolitan areas: Tokyo metropolitan area, Nagoya metropolitan area, and Kansai metropolitan area Non-metropolitan areas: Regions other than the three major metropolitan areas.

Kansaimetropolitan

area

Nagoyametropolitan

area

Non-metropolitan areas

-88,000 people （Non-metropolitan）

-21,000 people （Kansai）

2. Reform of the national and regional planning system

(1) Background of the reform

With the population decrease that is started in 2005 (Figure 4) in the background, feelings of

anxiety and uncertainty exist among the Japanese public. Also in terms of national land policy,

pressing issues are emerging, such as population decrease mentioned above, expansion of areas

where maintaining the local community is going difficult, rapid devastation of farmlands, and the

expansion of forests that are not properly maintained. From an international perspective, the East

Asian economic bloc is growing rapidly, so that close collaboration with East Asian countries is

crucial for maintaining and developing our vigor in an economic society through the 21st century

(Figure 6). In order to cope with these pressing domestic and international issues properly, national

and regional plans, which are long-term, comprehensive and spatial plans, are required to clearly

show the future vision of our territory and people’s lives.

5

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050

757 万人 818 万人

3,128万人

12,693 万人

全国(高位推計 )

8,176 万人

6,414 万人

全国(中位推計 )

全国(低位推計 )

（年）

2006 年にピーク12,774 万人

約５人に１人が高齢者

20 25年12,114 万人

2050 年10,059 万人

約３人に１人が高齢者

4,645 万人

約３人に１人が高齢者室町幕府成立

鎌倉幕府成立

江戸幕府成立

享保改革

（1192 年）（1338

Source: Prepared by the National and Regional Planning Bureau, Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport, according to “National Census of Japan,” “Annual Report on Current Population Estimates” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, “Overview of Future Trends in Population in Japan” (conducted January 2002) by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, and “Long-term Time Series Analysis on Changes in Population Distribution throughout the Japanese Archipelago” by the National Land Agency (1974).

KyohoReform

(1716-45)31.28 million

people

Beginningof Edo

Shogunate

(1603)12.27

million people

Beginningof

MuromachiShogunate

(1338)8.18

million people

Beginningof

Kamakura Shogunate

(1192)7.57

million people

End of World War II

(1945)71.99

million people

(2000)126.93 million people

Peak in 2004127.83 million people

Approximately one-fifth are elderly people

(10,000 people) 2025

121.14 million peopleApproximately one-fourth are

elderly people

2050100.59 million people

Approximately one-third are elderly people

Nationwide(high projection scenario)


Nationwide(average projection scenario)


Approximately one-third are elderly people

Nationwide(low projection scenario)


Figure 4: Long-term Trends of Total Population in Japan

Meiji Restoration

(1868)33.3

million people

(Year)

2100

(Source) Prepared by the National and Regional Planning Bureau, Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport, according to the “Agricultural and Forestry Census.”

Note) Total figures do not necessarily agree because the figures are rounded.

[Change in Areas of Devastated Farmlands]

76

65

38

38

24

35

62

62

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

100ha or more

20-100ha

0.1-20ha

Ｔｏｔａｌ

Ｔｈｉｎｎｉｎｇiｍｐｌｅｍｅｎｔｅｄ Thinning not implemented

(Source) “Questionnaire on Forestry Activity by Owners of Mountain Forest” by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan(November 1997)

[State of Thinning Implemented by Households Engaged in Forestry by the Size of Mountain Forest Owned]

151 162210

6683

133

050

100

150200250300

350400

1990 1995 2000

（thousand ha）

217 244

343

151 162210

6683

133

050

100

150200250300

350400

1990 1995 2000

（thousand ha）

217 244

343

Farm Nonagricultural landowners

Note)The graph composes the households engaged in forestry that implement thinning, and households that did not implement thinning for the past 5years although it owns mountain forests subject to thinning.

Figure 5: Change in Areas of Devastated Farmlands and State of Thinning Implemented by Household Engaged in Forestry

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However, the Comprehensive National Land Development Act, the law governing the

Comprehensive National Development Plan that sets the grounds for Japan’s national land policy,

was orientated to quantitative development, with the social and economic background in 1950 when

the Act was formulated. Therefore, a drastic review of the planning system has been required to cope

efficiently with the decentralization, and domestic and international collaboration, to facilitate

qualitative development of our territory, and to show the vision of our territory that is adequate for a

mature society oriented to attain safety, complacency and stability in people’s lives.

(2) The road to the reform

As for the reform of the national planning system, the goal specified in the 5th Comprehensive

National Development Plan, the “Grand Design for the 21st Century” (adopted by the Cabinet

meeting in March 1998), was to establish a national and regional planning system to meet

requirements such as clarifying the philosophy of the national and regional planning, reacting to

reforms such as decentralization, and enhancing the function as a guideline. Reviewing the

Comprehensive National Development Plans and National Land Use Plan were also specified in the

“2nd Decentralization Promotion Plan” (adopted by the Cabinet meeting in March 1999).

U.S.32%

Euro Zone (12 countries)

18%

South Korea2%

India2%

Russia3%

Brazil2%

China31%

Japan9%

U.S.39.2%


31.3%

South Korea2.3%

India2.1%

Russia1.9%

Brazil2.1%

China5.5%

Japan15.6%

(1) Shares of Each Country in the World’s Nominal GDP in 2004 (2) Shares of Each Country in the World’s Nominal GDP in 2030

Notes) 1. Figures for the world is the total of the above 8 countries/regions.2. The 12 countries for the Euro Zone are countries introduced as Euro as of March 2003 (Ireland, Italy, Austria, Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Germany, Finland, France, Belgium, Portugal, Luxemburg).

(Source) Prepared by the National and Regional Planning Bureau, Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport, according to “Japan’s 21st Century Vision” by the Cabinet Office

Figure 6: Shares of Each Country in the World Economy

U.S.32%


18%

South Korea2%

India2%

Russia3%

Brazil2%

China31%

Japan9%

U.S.39.2%


31.3%

South Korea2.3%

India2.1%

Russia1.9%

Brazil2.1%

China5.5%

Japan15.6%

(1) Shares of Each Country in the World’s Nominal GDP in 2004 (2) Shares of Each Country in the World’s Nominal GDP in 2030

Notes) 1. Figures for the world is the total of the above 8 countries/regions.2. The 12 countries for the Euro Zone are countries introduced as Euro as of March 2003 (Ireland, Italy, Austria, Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Germany, Finland, France, Belgium, Portugal, Luxemburg).

(Source) Prepared by the National and Regional Planning Bureau, Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport, according to “Japan’s 21st Century Vision” by the Cabinet Office

Figure 6: Shares of Each Country in the World Economy

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In this context, investigations and discussions were carried out in the National Land Council, and

the “National and Regional Planning in the 21st Century,” was reported by the Policy Section of the

National Land Council and the Planning Section of the Land Policy Council in November 1999, and

the “Future Vision of National Land and the New National and Regional Planning System,” was

reported by the Basic Policy Section of the National Land Council in November 2002.

Furthermore, in the “Structural Reform and Medium-Term Economic and Fiscal Perspectives”

adopted by the Cabinet meeting in January 2002, it was decided that the Comprehensive National

Development Plan should be fundamentally reviewed.

In June 2003, the Investigation Reform Section was established in the National Land Council. The

Section examined the “reform of the national and regional planning system” and “Comprehensive

Examination of National Land,” that was to review the current state and issues of national land, and

to show the basic direction of national land policy from a long-term perspective. “Comprehensive

Examination of National Land,” was reported by the Investigation Reform Section of the National

Land Council, showing the current state and issues of national land, and the basic direction of the

national land policy in the future. The report proposed that national and regional planning be

reformed drastically, based on the new trends that caused turnaround in national land policies, such

as “decreasing and aging population,” “interregional competition beyond national borders,”

“elicitation of environmental issues,” “budgetary restraint” and “limitations of dependency on the

central government”.

Based on the past discussions in the National Land Council, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure

and Transport attempted to establish the national and regional planning system that responds

appropriately to requirements of the new era, including the decrease of population. In order to

achieve this, it introduced the “Bill for partial amendments to the Comprehensive National Land

Development Act and other laws in order to promote sustainable development of the national land”

to the 162nd Diet session following the Cabinet approval on March 1, 2005. This amendment bill

suggested the fundamental revision from the Comprehensive National Land Development Act to the

National Land Sustainability Plan Act, by revising the previous Comprehensive National

Development Plans into the “National Land Sustainability Plan”, by increasing the items to be

planned, by introducing proposal systems from prefecture governments, and by establishing the

Regional Plans. Following active discussions in the diet, the Bill was passed on July 22, 2005,

declared on July 29, 2005, and enforced on December 22, 2005.

(3) Points of the reform

Points of the “Act for partial amendments to the Comprehensive National Land Development Act

and other laws in order to promote sustainable development of the national land” are as follows:

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(i) In order to focus more on the qualitative development than the quantitative development of

national land, that used to be the base of the existing national and regional plans, the national

and regional plans were reformed so that it will comprehensively promote measures concerning

the utilization, improvement and conservation of national land by reviewing what should be

planned;

(ii) In order to encourage the participation of various stakeholders in the planning process,

proposal system from local governments and system to reflect on public opinions were

introduced;

(iii) In order to respect the autonomy of regions and realize the partnership between the central

government and local governments, in addition to the National Plan, the Regional Plans were

also introduced. The plans are planned in each block by mutual collaboration and cooperation of

central and prefecture governments, under appropriate divisions of each roles; and

(iv) In order to make the national and regional planning system understood easily by the public, it

streamlined and consolidated the national and regional planning system.

Figure 7: Points to “Reform of the national land planning system”Act for partial amendments to the Comprehensive National Land Development Act and other laws in order to promote

sustainable development of the national land*promulgated on July 29, 2005 (enforced in Dec.22,2005)

Creation of a vision by cooperation between the national government and local governments Shift from emphasis on quantitative

development

Com

preh

ensi

ve N

atio

nal

Dev

elop

men

t Pla

n

Nat

iona

l Lan

d Su

stai

nabi

lity

Plan

The government clarifies what the national land and people’s lives should be (clarification of the national government’s responsibility)

Each block formulate plansby the cooperation betweencentral government and prefectural government under the proper role of division

In order to promote the formulation and implementation, of the plan, an organization is formed in which Regional Bureaus of the government, relevant prefectures, relevant government ordinance designated cities, and local economic communities talk about issues on an equal footing

Participation of a variety of bodies in the plan • System for proposing plans from local

governments to the government • Mechanism to incorporate people’s opinions

into the plan

Qua

ntita

tive

“dev

elop

men

t”tr

end

Mat

ured

soci

ety

type

pla

n

Qualitative improvement of national land,

including scenery and the environment

Use and conservation

of limited resources

Utilizing stock

Increase and alteration of

planned issues

Use of oceans and

international cooperation

Ensuring not only convenience but also safety, security and

stability in people’s lives

Formation of national land that makes it possible for local communities to

develop independently

* In addition, effort is made to re-construct national land plans that are understandable for the people by making the land plan structure simple and integrated. Specifically, this includes integrated formulation of the plan and the National Land Use Plan, rationalization of plans concerning the development of metropolitan areas, abolishment of local development promotion plans, and other measures.

National plan

Wide-areaRegional

plan

・National Plan only

・The central governmentstook the initiative in plan-making

・There was no mechanism to incorporate local communities’opinions into the plan

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(4) Outline of the national and regional planning system

(i) Titles of laws and names of plans

・Titles of laws: “Comprehensive National Land Development Act” “National Land

Sustainability Plan Act”

・Names of plans: “Comprehensive National Development Plans” “National Land

Sustainability Plan”

・The National Land Sustainability Plan is comprised of the “National Plan” and the

“Wide-area Regional Plan.”

* The Comprehensive Prefecture Development Plans, the Comprehensive Regional

Development Plans、the Specified Areas Comprehensive Development Plans were abolished.

(ii) Definition of the National Land Sustainability Plan (Segments changed to the

Comprehensive National Development Plans are underlined)

The “National Land Sustainability Plan” is a comprehensive and fundamental plan to promote

utilization, improvement and conservation of national land (hereinafter referred to as the

“national land formation”). The plan is about the items listed below.

a) Utilization and conservation of national land resources such as land, water and others;

b) Utilization and conservation of coastal areas (including items concerning exclusive

economic zones and continental shelf);

c) Prevention and alleviation of disasters such as earthquakes, floods, windstorms and others;

d) Arrangements and improvements of the size and location of urban/rural areas;

e) Appropriate location of industries;

f) Utilization, improvement and conservation of transportation facilities, information and

telecommunication facilities, research facilities concerning science and technologies and

other important public facilities;

g) Protection of resources and utilization and improvement of facilities, regarding culture,

welfare and tourism; and

h) Conservation of environments including the creation of a sound environment, and the

formation of sound landscape.

(iii) The fundamental principle of the National Land Sustainability Plan

・Appropriately coping with changes in social economic structure including changes in

population and industry, and attempting to realize the national land that will be the basis for:

a) regional communities that develop autonomously according to their uniqueness;

b) vibrant economic society through the enhancement of international competitiveness and

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promotion of science and technology;

c) people’s lives that their safety is assured; and

d) productive environment that also contributes to conserving global environment.

- set appropriate measures regarding national land formation that maintains and improves

conditions for our land, while taking domestic and international collaboration into

consideration.

- While respecting independent approaches by local authorities, fulfill obligations as central

government based on the inherent roles, including implementation of measures that must be

carried out on a nationwide scale or from a nationwide perspective.

④National Plan

a) Contents of the plan

・As a guideline for measures concerning comprehensive formation of national land, it

stipulates (i) basic policy; (ii) objectives; and (iii) basic measures that are necessary from a

nationwide perspective.

・It should be in accordance with fundamental plans of the central government on environment

conservation.

b) Planning process

・The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should take necessary measures to reflect

on opinions from the public, discuss with the head of administrative bodies involved, listen

to opinions from prefectures and government-designated cities, through investigations and

discussions in the National Land Council, prepare draft for the plan and obtain cabinet

approval.

・Prepare the plan and the National Plan of the National Use Plan in an integrated way.

⑤ Policy Evaluation regarding the National Plan

・When a certain period passes from the establishment of the National Plan, policy evaluation

(policy review) should be implemented based on policy evaluation law.

⑥ Proposal for the National Plan

・Prefectures and designated cities may submit proposal for the draft of the National Plan or the

change, to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The proposal should attach the

preliminary draft.

・When the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport decides not to prepare the draft

according to the proposal, the Minister should notify the fact and reasons thereof to the said

prefecture or designated city, after hearing the National Land Council’s opinions.

⑦ Area for Wide-area Regional Plan

・Set the Wide-area Regional Plan for areas stipulated by the government ordinance as areas

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requiring promotion of comprehensive formation of national land as a whole (Areas for

Wide-area Regional Plan), which are comprised of two or more prefectures, such as the

National Capital Region, the Kinki Region and the Chubu Region.

⑧ Wide-area Regional Plan

a) Contents of the plan

・Regarding national land formation in the Wide-area Regional Plan, it stipulates (i) policy, (ii)

objectives and (iii) basic measures that are necessary from a wide area perspective (including

those that go beyond the area, if considered necessary).

b) Planning process

・The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will take necessary measures to reflect on

public opinions, and after discussions in the Wide Area Regional Planning Council, will

consult with the head of administrative bodies involved to prepare draft for the plan.

⑨Wide Area Regional Planning Council

・In order to discuss the Wide-area Regional Plan and its implementation, council comprising

of local offices of central government, prefectures and designated cities involved should be

established in each area.

・Municipalities within the area, local authorities adjacent to the area and other entities having a

close relationship may be included in the council.

⑩ Proposal for the Wide-area Regional Plan

・ Municipalities may submit proposal for the draft of Wide-area Regional Plan or the change to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport via prefecture government. The

proposal should attach the preliminary draft.

・When the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport decides not to prepare the draft

according to the proposal, the Minister should notify the fact and reasons thereof to the said

prefecture or designated city, after hearing the National Land Council’s opinions.

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Figure 8: The New Framework of the New National Land Sustainability Plan

Used as a basis

National Plan

Guideline of measures on comprehensive formation of national land

(Inter-ministry plan)

[Contents of the plan]・Basic policy on national land sustainability・Goal of national land sustainbility・Basic measures considered as necessary from a

nationwide perspective (Names of individual projects are not generally stated)

Proposals for the plan and the change from prefectures and government-designated cities

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport prepares the draft

Cabinet approval

Investigation and discussion by the National Land

Council

Hearing opinions from prefectures and

government-designated cities

Public comments

National land Sustainability plan for Regions in the Wide-area Regional Plan area

[Contents of the plan]・Policy on national land formation in the said region・Goal of national land formation in the said region・Major measures considered necessary from a

regional perspective (including names of individual projects)

Proposals for the plan and the change from municipalities (via prefectures)

Decided by the Minister of Land,

Infrastructure and Transport

Wide Area Regional Planning CouncilDiscuss on an equal footing

Public comments

Hearing opinions from academic experts

Local offices in the central government

Prefectures involved

Designated cities involved

Local business communities, etc.

Areas designated by government

ordinance ,comprising of two or more prefectures

Wide-areaRegional Plan

⑪ Amendment of metropolitan region development acts and abolishment of district

development acts

・Implementation programs for the National Capital Region, the Kinki Region and the Chubu

Region are abolished so that the National Capital Region Development Plan, the Kinki

Region Development Plan and the Chubu Region Development Plan will be the

comprehensive one.

・The three regions’ Development Plans should be in accordance with the National Land

Sustainability Plan.

・The Tohoku District Development Plan, the Kyushu District Development Plan, the Shikoku

District Development Plan, the Hokuriku District Development Plan and the Chugoku

District Development Plan are abolished.

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N

atio

nwid

e

Comprehensive National Development Plan

Basic development plan

Tohoku District Development Promotion Plan

Old national land plans New national land plans

Nat

iona

l C

apita

l re

gion

Kin

ki

regi

on

Chub

u re

gion

Non

met

ropo

litan

regi

ons

Development Plan

Absorbed into the new system

National Land Use Plan(national plan)

National Land Use Plan(national plan)

Integration of the plans

(abolish)

* Basis of the other national government’s plans, concerning the use of the national land

Base

d on

th

e pl

an National Land Sustainability Plan (national plan)

* With regard to the plans based on the National Capital Region Development Act, the Kinki Region Development Act, the Chubu Region Development Act, efforts are made to let them survive as systems but simplify the plans, since response to congestion problems in metropolitan areas is still a major issue considering the vulnerability of congested urban areas to great earthquakes.

Amendments to laws

Inte

grat

edpl

anni

ng

Development plan (5 years)

Implementation Program (every fiscal year) Implementation Program

Basic development plan

Implementation Program (every fiscal year)

Basic Development Plan

Implementation Program

Basic developmentnt plan

Implementation Program (every fiscal year)

Basic Development Plan

Implementation Program

Hokuriku District Development Promotion Plan

Chugoku District Development Promotion PlanShikoku District Development Promotion Plan

Kyushu District Development Promotion Plan

Based onthe plan

Nat

iona

l Lan

d Su

stai

nabi

lity

Plan

（Wide-area

regi

onal

plan

s

）

(abolish)

(abolish)

(abolish)

(abolish)

(abolish)

Figure 9: Reorganization of the National Land Planning System

(abolish)

Base

d on

th

e pl

an

accordance relationship



(abolish)

3. Setting the National Land Sustainability Plan

(1) Setting the National Plan

As for the National Plan, the Planning Section was established in the National Land Council in

September 2005, to discuss the issue in full scale. In October 2005, Expert Committees were

established within the Planning Section to further discuss the five main planning issues, that research

from a professional standpoint was especially necessary (lifestyle/living, industry prospect/East Asia

collaboration, independent regional communities, national land foundation, and sustainable land

management).

In the future, the Planning Section will prepare an interim report around autumn of 2006, and it is

expected that the National Plan will be adopted in the Cabinet meeting by around midyear 2007.

Based on the reform of the planning system, in the planning process, the government intends to

exchange opinions with various entities including local authorities and economic organizations, in

order to encourage participation of various stakeholders in the national and regional planning.

14

Figure 10: Investigation and Discussion System in the National Land Council

(2) Setting the Wide-area Regional Plan

As for the Wide-area Regional Plan, because it is necessary to set Regions for the Wide-area

Regional Plan before developing the Plan itself, the Regional Section was established in the National

Land Council in September 2005. It started discussions on how regional blocs should be divided. It

is scheduled to decide areas for the Wide-area Regional Plan by mid-2006. After areas for the

Wide-area Regional Plan are set, preparations will be carried out to develop the Wide-area Regional

Plan, and it is expected that the Wide-area Regional Plan will be established by about a year after the

National Plan is established.

Planning SectionNational Land Council

Lifestyle/Living Expert Committee

Regional Section

Industry prospect/East Asia Collaboration Expert Committee

Independent Regional Communities Expert Committee

Sustainable Land Management Expert Committee

Investigations and discussions on the preparation of drafts for the National Plan

Problems concerning lifestyles, living spheres and cities as a

International competitiveness of Japan and collaboration with East Asian cities

Mechanism to continuously provide various social services in the decreasing population, and invigoration of local community through independent approaches in regions.

Improvement of national land foundation coping with economy globalization and contributing in ensuring safety, complacency and stability in people ’s lives

Sustainable land management in order to appropriately use national land, which is the basis for people ’s lives, and hand it over to the next generation in better condition

Research from a Professional standpoint isimplemented in five fields that are considered to be the major issues of the plan

Investigations and discussions on the ideal way of dividing regional blocks in which uniformed promotion of comprehensive formation of national land is necessary



Regional Section

Expert Committee









Research from a

implemented in five fields that are considered to be the major issues of the plan




Regional Section

Industry prospect/East Asia Collaboration Expert Committee









Research from a Professional standpoint isimplemented in five fields that are considered to be the major issues of the plan




Regional Section

Expert Committee









Research from a

implemented in five fields that are considered to be the major issues of the plan


place of living, expected based on various values

National infrastructure Expert Committee

15

4. Summary

While there are feelings of anxiety and uncertainty of the future among the Japanese public, the

government wishes to present solutions to various issues, in terms of national land policy and show

the future of national land where people can live at ease and the ideal vision for a productive and

affluent life, through the National Land Sustainability Plan. In the planning process of these plans in

the future, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport intends to evoke wide interests among

the public to encourage participation by various stakeholders in the national and regional planning.

To depict an ideal future vision for national land and regions, active approach by each entity is

expected.

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