Tama, in western Tokyo, is currently trying to find a way to rehabilitate Parthenon Tama, the city's public cultural complex. During headier times, Parthenon hosted world-famous classical musicians and theater companies, and in addition to a large auditorium and a small auditorium, it contains a museum, a gallery and numerous conference rooms. According to the Asahi Shimbun, the 30-year-old facility is now in need of more than ¥7 billion worth of renovations that the local government says it can't afford. As it stands, it spends ¥400 million a year just to maintain the facility, and if it doesn't act soon, the complex may become unusable.

Parthenon's problems are common to many local governments in Japan. Built as part of the Tama New Town development project, which started in the late 1960s, the complex was the jewel in the project's crown. When it was constructed, however, Tama was thriving as a popular bedroom community for people who worked in Tokyo. In addition to Parthenon, Tama New Town, which accounts for 60 percent of the city in terms of land area, boasted seven libraries, which have since been consolidated into three.

The city's fiscal problems come down to the fact that while many people flocked to Tama New Town when it opened, over the years, residents who have moved out or died haven't been replaced by younger working people. Moreover, the properties of those who did remain have lost value. All these factors have conspired to erode the tax base. Most of the new towns and other planned communities in Japan were built around the same time, and their facilities are also reaching their sell-by date. All are in need of infrastructure repairs and other investments, but they don't have the funds and are asking the central government for help.