TOKYO
Tokyo's History from
1960-2000
Accordingly, there is a high possibility that had the planning in Tokyo been stricter before 1960, then there would have been a development of informal settlements lacking minimum levels of social services and infrastructure would have sprouted hence, Tokyo would have had to deal with many serious problems. If this had happened, maybe Tokyo would not have grown into one of the world’s largest megacities.[2]
In the year 1968, City Planning Law was revised significantly. The revised law introduced a growth boundary system that would control the expansion rate of the urban centers, zoning regulations were more precise, and they protected the environment hence facilitating quality of life in Tokyo.[2] An important feature of the revised City Planning Law was that it established a development permission system that ensured a minimum level of infrastructural development was introduced in Tokyo.
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Towards the end of the 20th Century, central Tokyo was characterized by a high concentration of office and commercial buildings. Additionally, there were sprouting housing estates along railway lines and this made Tokyo grow to a transit-oriented and mono-centric town.[6] The day and nighttime population density by distance from Tokyo can evidence this pattern. As scholars have pointed out, it may be difficult to maintain the current sophisticated railway system and a mono-centric structure given the fact that the working population is decreasing. To add on to this, suburbs that do not have a sufficient public transit services have resorted to concentrate on road transport.
References:
[7]. Sorensen, A. (2002). The making of urban Japan: Cities and planning from Edo to the 21st century. Routledge, London.