Nagoya: A City Of Progress And Opportunity

By Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura

Before I was elected mayor in 2009 of the most populated city, in the fastest growing region in Japan, I knew Nagoya as my home. My father moved here with a couple hundred yen in his pocket for a job as a carpenter and thought he would probably stay a few years and eventually move somewhere else. Well he stayed for more than a few years. Dad married my mother and eventually became owner of that company and turned it into a family business.

I was born in Nagoya and graduated from Asahigaoka High School. I went to Hitotsubashi University and took over the family business. Other interests followed, but I continued to call Nagoya home, not just for the career opportunities, but because the city constantly takes steps forward to becoming one of the world's greatest cities.

Nagoya has always been a transportation hub, and our international airport co-owned with Aichi Prefecture is the world's eighth busiest. It is one of the signature accomplishments of our amazingly dynamic region, which also boasts the largest light rail system in Japan. Several of the nation's best public schools, including the best high school in the country (according to a study by Tokyo University Faculty of education), are in the Nagoya Public School District. Nagoya also has the nation's largest urban forest. Nagoya is currently moving to become the largest park system in Japan with a large portion of the city dedicated to urban greenery for relaxation during the work day.

There's also a generosity of spirit that leveraged more than 1 billion yen in public funding to rally hundreds of donors to each give to build the largest contiguous urban cultural district in the nation. The walkable 20 square blocks of the Nagoya Arts and Government District now feature five museums and performance venues designed by winners of the highest honor in architecture, the IM Pei Prize. In addition to the function and beauty of these buildings, the entire neighborhood reminds our citizenry and the world that promoting culture is essential to the urban fabric and is adjoined by Meijo Park and Nagoya Castle.

We believe that technology, arts and culture will unite global citizens. Nagoya is cultivating the skills essential for problem solving by helping visitors understand and appreciate history and international cultures, as well as innovation and creativity. That's why I am so excited to welcome hundreds of elected and appointed officials, corporate executives, scholars, entrepreneurs and journalists from dozens of countries to our city each year. With the New Cities Foundation, Nagoya is eagerly embracing our future opportunities to innovate. Chief among them is our newly formed Global Cultural Districts Network, headquartered in the Nagoya International Center to continue the conversation among established cultural districts around the world.

GCDN creates a lasting organization to foster the growth of these districts, sharing best practices throughout the world, which we are uniquely situated to lead as a destination city for top creative professionals. With a British conductor, Martyn Brabbins, the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra keeps astounding audiences and encouraging young people to appreciate Classical Music and Opera.

We also must see that our international residents from around the world are here to help our Japanese residents create a community of citizens who join together in good and hard times. As mayor I demanded that all our city emergency information and planning be in the languages represented by our residents from around the world. I approached the ward and city council members with this, “Imagine living abroad and paying taxes and yet have no emergency information in the language you understand. How would you feel?” I have encouraged this same attitude in all Nagoya undertakes. No matter our nations of origin, we are Nagoyans and we stand together.

We know we still have challenges to overcome in order to be considered among the top international cities in the world. That's why we are eager to extend legendary Chukyo hospitality to the multinational innovators from all over the world as visitors and residents. Through the process, we hope to redefine Nagoya’s global reputation as being more than automobiles and as “The Detroit of Asia” and help half the world's population now living in urban areas for the first time in history learn from our innovations and opportunities.