Japan, as the third-largest economy in the world, is home to many of the huge metropolis people can live in. Aside from its rich heritage and vibrant culture, the country is also famed for having a legendary civic sense of duty. However, its urban population is continuously increasing along with the rest of the world. Such rapid expansion will negatively affect several things. A proposed solution for this is the promotion of “smart cities” or future cities that will make every aspect smarter. Let’s learn more about it.
A city is considered “smart” when it can sustain economic development and a high quality of life. In line with this, it has to consider wise management of natural resources and also secure the city’s assets. It uses technology in order to improve the efficiency of services and attain the needs of the residents. It is ready to respond to challenges faced by its varying sectors may it be healthcare, water, transportation, traffic and waste management, etc. It is all about pursuing a better standard of living for the people by generating sustainable social value.
The large population of people living in cities is not only congesting the area but is also affecting many other factors. This number is even expected to rise in the coming years, especially in Japan. It then becomes an ailment for the country which needs to be solved. Anticipated challenges will arrive such as environmental pollution, overcrowding, an increase in energy demand, and so on. To remedy this, the government is pushing to turn some cities into smart cities. Some of the improvements include installation of smart meters which is hoped to help in cutting energy consumption cost by providing efficiency. Smart cities will function as vehicles in boosting several industrial projects and more job opportunities for local people. This is expected to encourage the older population to become more enthusiastic. It is then very important that the cities maintain the ability to attract and keep businesses as they are significant in sustaining success.
As a city built around information and communication technology, smart city’s advancement is surely there. So what do you think? Will smart cities be able to save Japan?