The infrastructure ministry unveiled action plans Wednesday to revise city planning measures to concentrate welfare, medical and other facilities near stations and municipal offices to meet the needs of the rapidly aging population.
The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said new city planning policies will gather people and businesses at city centers and bring greenery back to areas surrounding urban districts, a turnaround from its urban-expansion measures to date.
The action plans include measures to create environments in which residents can conduct their daily lives within walking distance of train and subway stations.
Redevelopment projects to be undertaken by local governments nationwide will also aim to improve access to transit connections among various modes of transportation at major train stations, bus terminals, piers and airports, a ministry official said.
Under the new vision, the ministry will establish a city-development subsidy that local governments can use at their own discretion, starting with 100 billion yen to be allocated for fiscal 2004.
The plans are to be officially adopted Thursday at a subcommittee of the ministry's infrastructure panel.
The government will revise a special law on urban redevelopment and will submit bills for other related legislation to the Diet next year.
The ministry also plans to promote home business startups that use information technology to achieve multiple uses of land in urban areas.
Other goals include raising the global competitiveness of large metropolitan areas and promoting private investment in urban development.