The Relocation of the Diet and Other Organizations

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Let’s Consider Relocation of the Diet and Other Organizations
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Home >> National and Regional Planning Bureau >> The Relocation of the Diet and Other Organizations >> Q&A Chapter 5: Schedule for Further Investigation and Other Activities

Q&A

Chapter 5: Schedule for Further Investigation and Other Activities

1. Future schedule

After the Council has presented its report, further investigation regarding the relocation will be conducted in accordance with the Relocation Act. Such investigation will consider the status of the consensus reached among the people of Japan; social, economic, and other conditions; and comparisons with the situation in Tokyo.

When a specific area for the new city is decided upon, the Diet will ratify the selection by passing a separate law.

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2. Comparison with Tokyo

Article 22 of the Relocation Act specifies that the new area be compared with Tokyo during final deliberations by the Diet after the Council for the Relocation of the Diet and Other Organizations has presented its report.

The Council considers that a comparison between the candidate areas and Tokyo is closely related to the significance and effects of the relocation of the capital functions. The Council discussed two cases: “Leaving the capital functions in Tokyo” and “Relocating the capital functions to a new capital” using documents summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of the two cases.

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3. Measures to prevent land speculation at candidate areas

Since the relocation of the capital functions is an exceptional national project, attempts at speculative land transactions and “insider” dealings could be concentrated on candidate areas when they are announced. These transactions could cause the price of the surrounding land to skyrocket. It is critically important to avoid such a situation.

In the Council’s report, the central and local government organizations are requested to take appropriate measures in a timely manner by making maximum use of the current systems. The purpose is to eliminate speculative land transactions at the candidate areas and to prevent soaring land prices.
In response to this request, the National Land Agency issued a notice in December 1999 to the prefectures concerned, asking the governors to promptly designate any area as a monitored area if abrupt increases in land prices are noticed in the candidate area or other related areas. (For information about provisions regarding the monitored areas, refer to Article 24 of the Relocation Act.)

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4. Worldwide review of capital function relocations

In world history, many countries have relocated their capital functions in an attempt to improve their politics, economy, and/or culture. These relocations were conducted against many different backgrounds.

Worldwide review of capital function relocations
CountryYearTransition
United States of America1800Washington D.C. from Philadelphia
Australia1927Canberra from Melbourne
Brazl1960Brasilia from Rio de Janeiro
Israel1980Jerusalem from Tel Aviv
Nigeria1992Lagos from Abuja
Germany1999Berlin from Bonn
Malaysia2005Putrajaya from Kuala Lumpur

Prepared by the Metropolitan Areas Development Bureau, National Land Agency, based on miscellaneous sources.

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