Tokyo - statistics & facts
Since the establishment of the Edo Shogunate in 1603, Tokyo Prefecture has been Japan’s capital. The prefecture has grown into one of the world’s megacities and is home to around 13.5 million people, making up over 10 percent of the nation’s total population. Tokyo is not only the economic and cultural hub of Japan but also the political and administrative center. The national Cabinet and all ministries reside in the prefecture, as well as the national Diet, the Supreme Court, and the central bank of Japan. Tokyo generated a gross prefectural domestic product of around 115.7 trillion Japanese yen in the 2019 fiscal year, accounting for about 21 percent of the nation’s GDP. The wholesale and retail trade industry is the most significant contributor to the prefecture’s economy, followed by real estate.
Geographically, Tokyo lies roughly in the center of the Japanese archipelago. The city covers a gross area of around 2.2 square kilometers, the third smallest among 47 prefectures. Tokyo Prefecture comprises 23 special wards surrounding Tokyo Bay, the Tama area on the inland western side, and the Izu and Ogasawara Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Excluding the Islands, Tokyo falls under the Pacific coast climate, with hot temperatures and high humidity in summer and dry weather with low rainfalls in winter.
Municipalities other than the 23 wards have experienced a population decrease resulting from declining birth rates and a growing elderly population in recent years. The metropolitan government subsidizes these municipalities through multiple assistant programs to facilitate further development in the areas despite the diminishing number of inhabitants.
Like other prefectures in the nation, Tokyo is no exception in its vulnerability to natural disasters. Due to the disproportional dependency of Japan on the capital, a natural disaster striking this region would cause catastrophic damage to the nation’s economy. To lessen this overdependency, the revitalization of local economies has been one of the focal points of the Japanese government in recent years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic introduced the possibility of remote work, the government has also promoted migration from Tokyo to other areas. The interest of Tokyo residents in moving to other regions has grown after the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the survey conducted in 2022. It is yet to be seen if this trend will continue in the coming years.
Special wards and other municipalities
Tokyo is composed of 23 special wards and 39 other municipalities, including 26 cities, five towns, and eight villages. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government oversees infrastructure and administration of, for example, water supply, sewerage services, and firefighting in the 23 special wards. Local governments in each ward handle matters such as education, welfare, and housing. 39 other municipalities, by comparison, function as independent bodies and handle services and programs for residents. Additionally, the 39 municipalities finance their budgets directly from regional taxes like inhabitant tax, fixed assets tax, and special land ownership tax. In the 23 wards, the metropolitan government collects the tax revenue and proportionally allocates it to the ward governments.Municipalities other than the 23 wards have experienced a population decrease resulting from declining birth rates and a growing elderly population in recent years. The metropolitan government subsidizes these municipalities through multiple assistant programs to facilitate further development in the areas despite the diminishing number of inhabitants.
Tokyo centralization
Tokyo has continued to attract a lot of migrants from other prefectures. With many renowned universities and business headquarters in the prefecture, young citizens particularly aim to move to Tokyo. As of 2020, Tokyo recorded a net population gain of approximately 38.4 thousand, the highest number by far compared to other metropolitan areas in the country. This tendency over the last decades has led to an overconcentration of Japan’s population in the prefecture. It has accelerated the depopulation in other prefectures, especially in rural areas, and consequently challenged regional economies.Like other prefectures in the nation, Tokyo is no exception in its vulnerability to natural disasters. Due to the disproportional dependency of Japan on the capital, a natural disaster striking this region would cause catastrophic damage to the nation’s economy. To lessen this overdependency, the revitalization of local economies has been one of the focal points of the Japanese government in recent years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic introduced the possibility of remote work, the government has also promoted migration from Tokyo to other areas. The interest of Tokyo residents in moving to other regions has grown after the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the survey conducted in 2022. It is yet to be seen if this trend will continue in the coming years.
