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|  The
Future of Tsukuba Science City
Trend around Tsukuba Science City
- Japan at a Turning Point
It has been over 30 years since
the Japanese Cabinet decided to construct Tsukuba Science City. During these 30
years, Japan's social and economic environment has remarkably changed. Since the
end of the Cold War, the world has been groping for a new global order. With economic
liberalization and globalization, a global economic competition has been enhanced,
and Asian countries have taken on importance in the global community. Domestically,
Japan is now tackling many problems. Its social system has to be ready for an
aged society with the birthrate the lowest in the world. A new economic framework
after the collapse of the "bubble economy" should be structured. New industries
need to be created based on the development of Japan's own creative advanced technology.
Furthermore, the life-and-death problems on a global scale such as the food, energy,
and environmental problems are growing critical. For a solution to these problems,
people expect science and technology step in. People are interested in how technology
and community should be interrelated, and in how the natural sciences and the
humanities should be well developed and balanced.
- New Challenge
in Science and Technology
One of Japan's missions as a front-runner
is to challenge a new field of science and technology. However, science and technology
in Japan is now in the hardest state that it had ever experienced. Investment
in R&D by the Japanese government is smaller than that in Western nations, and
is unable to rise. Many fields of basic research are becoming inferior to those
in Western countries, and application development researches are becoming inferior
to those in the United States. Japan's R&D systems are less flexible and competitive,
and are restricted.
Also, it is a matter of great concern to Japan that the
young are getting less interested in science and technology. In 1996, the Science
and Technology Basic Act was enacted. The Act aims to raise the level of Japan's
science and technology, to develop Japan's economy, to improve the welfare, and
to contribute to the development of world's technology and the sustainable development
of global society. In July 1996, the Science and Technology Basic Plan was drawn
up based on the provisions of the Basic Act. The Basic Plan outlines a whole range
of new policy initiatives starting with the realization of flexible, competitive
and open research environment, the development of R&D abilities in industry, universities
and government, and the use of research achievements to benefit people, society,
and economy. The Basic Plan also outlines many comprehensive and systematic policies
for the promotion of science and technology by introducing a limited-term employment
system, by making it easier to obtain permission for working in places other than
the duty stations, and by supporting 10,000 post-doctors.
Tsukuba Science
City, the only city noted in the Science and Technology Basic Plan, is expected
to upgrade Japan's R&D abilities with its roles as a core city of information
and research exchanges.
- Roles of Tsukuba Science City in the Metropolitan
Area
People's daily milieux have largely widened in Tsukuba Science
City over the past 30 years. Tsukuba has built up a closer connection with neighboring
Tsuchiura-city and Ushiku-city, and has shared city functions with them. The "1993
Basic Plan for forming a core business area between the cities of Tsuchiura, Tsukuba
and Ushiku" has positioned Tsukuba Science City as a fully-functioning, self-sufficient
core city in the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture. The New Joban Train Line
and "Ken-o Do" (Metropolitan Inner City Expressway), scheduled to be complete
in the early part of the 21st century, will drastically change the roles of Tsukuba
in wider-range areas.
Regular services by the New Joban Train Line will be
open in 2005, linking Tsukuba Science City with Akihabara in Tokyo in 45 minutes.
The Line will cover the distance to Tokyo in 20 minutes less than Express bus
service. The New Joban Train Line is expected to serve as a main artery between
Tokyo and Tsukuba for both information and people. With a large-scale housing
development in progress along the New Joban Train Line, Tsukuba Science City will
have a population of about 100,000, whose lifestyles are diversified. When a new
station is built in the City Center Area and the population increases, various
urban functions befitting to a fully-functioning and self-sufficient core city
will need to be constructed.
"Ken-o Do" (Metropolitan Inner City Expressway)
is the belt highway around a 40~60 km range of the Metropolitan area. It will
connect Narita Airport and Tsukuba Science City in 25 minutes, providing effective
access to both Chiba and Saitama Prefectures. "Ken-o Do" directly to and from
Narita Airport will enable Tsukuba to fulfill its functions for international
conventions and events. "Ken-o Do" will also serve as an effective route for the
Tohoku and Hokuriku regions, and will provide multiple accesses to Tokyo. Since
Tsukuba is at the junction of Joban Expressway and "Ken-o Do", it will potentially
become a base of new distribution industries and of disaster prevention. On the
other hand, heavy traffic congestion on north-south-direction artery roads will
be troublesome.
- Advancement of Information-Oriented Society
Information-oriented society has rapidly advanced with the spread of the Internet
and E-mail. Highly advanced information is expected to contribute to the promotion
of science and technology and the promotion of academic areas of research. It
is also expected to improve daily convenience through On-line shopping and information
services.
An information and communication infrastructure is now under development
by CATV (Academic New Town Community Cable Service). Local Area Network (LAN),
which is linking universities, research institutions and Tsukuba International
Convention Center, is now in the experimental stage. Academic research networks
within national research institutions are under development. Since Tsukuba has
many information-literate researchers and residents, Tsukuba is a more highly
advanced information area than other cities. Tsukuba has already been ready to
make the best use of the impact highly advanced information has on society and
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