New Era vol.12
May 2000
Think Together about the Capital Functions Relocation of Japan


"Capital Function City Experience CD-ROM" Completed

The "Capital Function City Experiencce CD-ROM," which is designed to enable everybody to have a virtual experience of the new city (i.e. the relocation site of the capital functions) was completed.
The CD-ROM enables everybody to experience virtually the environments, lives and others in the new city (the relocation site of the capital functions) by exploring a virtual urban space constructed using three-dimensional computer graphics. Game elements were added to enable people to enjoy deepening their understanding of the capital function relocation.
`Diet Plaza on the "Capital Function City Experiencie CD-ROM"`

Processes for Developing the CD]ROM
The CD]ROM was developed by listening to the opinions of experts in urban planning and information, including the establishment of the "Panel of Experiencing System" chaired by Professor Emeritus Takamochi Ishii of the University of Tokyo.
Inquiries were made via the Internet, and information was provided through home pages to reflect the wide range of opinions of many people in the CD-ROM development.

Details of the Capital Function City Experience CD-ROM
Overall Constitution of the Capital Function City Experience CD-ROM
The following three menus are the main components of the CD-ROM:
(1) "Municipal Virtual Experience Mode" where urban environments and activities can be experienced in a game-like atmosphere in representative areas (the Diet building, government offices' district, commercial and business district, housing area and others) created using computer graphics
(2) "Municipal Automatic Strolling Mode" for introducing representative districts
(3) "Data Bank" for introducing advanced examples of city construction using images and simple explanations
(In addition, the CD-ROM contained fundamental explanations about the capital function relocation and a function that enables people to send in opinions or proposals to the National Land Agency via the Internet.)
Shown above right is a scene from the opening movie of the municipal virtual experience mode. The leading character, Takuma, appears aboard a high-speed traffic system. Takuma is a music producer and is now in charge of producing music for the tenth anniversary events of the new city. Takuma tours in the new city according to various hints.
Several logotypes are hidden in the new city. If you collect all logotypes, you can see a wonderful closing scene. Well, let's experience the main scenes of the capital function city in this municipal virtual experience mode. too.
Areas Surrounding the New Diet Building
The domed building you can see in front of you is the new Diet building. The Diet building constructed in the new city is designed to enable people to fully enjoy friendliness and a sense of relief to make the new city suitable for the symbol of politics and administration open to the nation. Scenes of the Diet deliberations are depicted on the large monitoring screen on the wall.


Governmental Offices' District
The district abounds in foliage and buildings are laid out with enough space between them. A barrier-free environment is thoroughly pursued, and everybody can play an active part comfortably. In the governmental office building, you could see the citizens referring to national information and the central ministry and agency officials, the self]governing body officials, persons related to nonprofit organization (NPO), and others discussing policies.


Embassy District
I met an official on the embassy staff in the embassy district who said, "We were able to have a more spacious embassy by relocating here because rents are much less inexpensive in the new city than in Tokyo." Convenient access to an international airport from the new city is available.
Let's take a look in the assembly room. The public gallery is full of people, and you can see the past deliberation processes and other information on the front monitoring screen or your handy system terminals.

Transit Mall
A Light Rail Transit (LRT) runs across the transit mall where commercial facilities stand side by side. The upper stories of the mall accommodates housing facilities and could also be used as small offices and home offices (SOHO).

Eco-Friendly Housing Area
The eco-friendly housing area has extensive grounds and is encircled by abundant foliage. In the center space of the area, there are lawn parks or citizen's vegetable gardens available to every citizen. On the carefully tended country hills, you can see children learning various facets of nature from environmental education leaders.

Let's Experience the Capital Function City!
The National Land Agency is planning to encourage wide use of the CD-ROMs by the general public by adding them to magazines and other publications and selling them from the Printing Bureau of the Ministry of Finance as well as distributing them to local public bodies, schools and other organizations.
Windows Macintosh
OS Windows95/98 Higher than MacOS
CPU Higher than Pentium 200MHz or Equivalent Higher than PowerPC
RAM 32MB or More
Vacant Capacity 50MB or More
CD-ROM Drive Faster than Quadruple Speed
Necessary Software Superior to QuickTime4.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader

TOPIC

Capital Function Relocation Q&A Section Rewritten and Expanded
The existing Q&A section on the National Land Agency Capital Function Relocation Homepage was rewritten and expanded to provide easily understandable answers to as many people's inquiries and questions as possible, such as (1) "What is capital functions relocation?" (2) "Why the capital functions relocation is necessary?" (3) "What are the candidate relocation sites?" (4)How is the capital functions relocation promoted?" and (5) "What are the study procedures?" We would heartily recommend you to utilize the rewritten Q&A section.GO
Q&A

Information Also Distributed in English
Information contained in this newsletter and the report by the Council for the Relocation of the Diet and Other Organizations (summary) have been prepared in English. However, we will promote distribution in English and cover the full text of the Council report, abstracts from reference data, and the rewritten Q&A described above. We cordially invite you to utilize the distributed English materials.

Accessing Various Information
- Various information concerning the capital functions relocation has been being provided on the National Land Agency Homepage on the Internet.
Also if you are interested in items described in this leaflet and others, please let us know. We will pleasingly send related documents to you. We are awaiting your contact.
We are Waiting for Your Contact
- Address: Capital Functions Relocation Planning Division, Metropolitan Areas Development Bureau, National Land Agency
2-2 Kasumigaseki 1-Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-9972 JAPAN
Homepage: http://www.mlit.go.jp/kokudokeikaku/iten/index.html
E-mail:hqt-itenka(a)gxb.mlit.go.jp (Please replace (a) with @)



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