News Japan approves plan for second capital outside Tokyo

[thomas]

Japan's parliament approved legislation on Friday to create a "second capital" that could keep the country functioning if a major disaster were to strike Tokyo, with Osaka emerging as the leading candidate. The plan marks an ambitious effort to reduce the political and economic concentration in the capital and spread key government functions elsewhere.

The legislation calls for relocating some central government operations and offering tax incentives to help develop another major economic centre capable of competing with the Tokyo metropolitan area. Osaka has emerged as the leading candidate, although the city continues to lose companies to Tokyo, highlighting how difficult it may be to build a genuine alternative to the capital. Osaka Prefecture has Japan's second-largest economy after Tokyo, with a nominal gross domestic product of 43.12 trillion yen (US$266 billion) in fiscal 2022. It is home to Kansai International Airport and is a key stop on the Shinkansen network linking Tokyo with western and southern Japan.

Even so, the flow of businesses has continued in the opposite direction. According to Teikoku Databank, 149 companies relocated to Osaka Prefecture in 2025, while 226 moved away, marking the 44th consecutive year of net outflows. Nearly a quarter of those companies (24%) relocated to Tokyo.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20260725_02/

Paywall alert:

Japan approves plan to create second capital outside Tokyo

Osaka emerges as front-runner despite decades of corporate outflow

asia.nikkei.com

 

[mdchachi]

So they haven't had a government resumption plan all this time? When I worked in Japan 30 years ago we set up a business resumption site in Osaka for this purpose.

 

[Lothor]

Sensible move. Britain is also moving some of its government functions to its second city of Manchester (not Birmingham!)

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Considering the Nankai Trough earthquake, the Great Kanto Earthquake , the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the Noto Peninsula earthquake, both the Sea of Japan coast and the Pacific coast are vulnerable to natural disasters. Therefore, I think Fukuoka in Kyushu would be the best choice for a secondary capital.

In the world of Ghost in the Shell, Tokyo was devastated during World War III, and Japan's capital was subsequently relocated to Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. Fukuoka therefore became the new political center of Japan in the postwar era. The fictional city of Niihama, which served as a temporary capital after Tokyo's destruction, is also an important setting in the series.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I also think Fukuoka would be perfect. They have the great airport and everything you would want in a big city. Sasebo Navy base is near enough to be a big help in a big disaster. The 2 years I spent there were amazing.