Sustainable Cities: Japanese Perspectives on Physical and Social Structures

Developing countries are rapidly urbanizing and most of the world's population will soon be living in cities, making it crucial to examine how cities can be developed on a sustainable basis. Japan is one of the most urbanized countries in the world and offers a remarkable series of lessons for sustainable urban planning. This book draws together experts from engineering, humanities, social sciences and mental health to introduce Japanese experiences and com pare them with international...
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Developing countries are rapidly urbanizing and most of the world's population will soon be living in cities, making it crucial to examine how cities can be developed on a sustainable basis. Japan is one of the most urbanized countries in the world and offers a remarkable series of lessons for sustainable urban planning. This book draws together experts from engineering, humanities, social sciences and mental health to introduce Japanese experiences and com pare them with international research. Rapid urbanization has damaged natural and human systems in Japan and many planners are seizing upon new technologies and scientific methods as opportunities to restructure cities. However, others are focusing on the well-being of citizens and seeking to make urban society more sustainable. This book examines the tensions between sociological and techno logical approaches and the dichotomy between planning professionals and civil society. The authors believe that the urban problems now confronting Japan and its people are not unique to the country and will emerge when any country reaches a certain level of development. They draw upon the experiences of Japan as a result of rapid economic and urban growth to provide insights for urban researchers and practitioners worldwide, particularly within the developing world, in order to encourage international comparative research.