City Profile

Tokyo is Japan's capital city and financial centre, known for its rich culture, as well as its urban infrastructure. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world housing 40.8 million residents, while Tokyo City makes up just 14 million. In addition to financial services, the city's key industries include the manufacture of electronics, transport equipment, automobiles, cameras and furniture.

Tokyo scores highly for Assets, largely as a result of top performance in intellectual assets such as university rankings, digital infrastructure, research and development, and AI readiness.

The city is well positioned to capture future opportunities in high technology and the AI boom which will likely have a positive effect on investor attractiveness - should the right policies be put in place.

One of the city's greatest challenges moving forward will be its ageing population which will hinder investor attractiveness and inhibit growth. Additionally, the ageing population will place more stress on existing urban systems such as healthcare and mobility infrastructure. Thoughtful and inclusive planning for ageing communities will become a cornerstone of future development, not just for Tokyo, but for Japan at large.

Case study

Over 10% of Japan's population are now aged 80 or older, and the country consistently rates as having the world's oldest population. This, coupled with very low birthrates, pose a significant risk to society and economic growth. Cities Alive: Designing for Ageing Communities identifies the specific needs of older people and proposes strategies and actions that cities can take to make communities more age-friendly.
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