Japan's House of Councillors passed a law to establish a secondary capital to serve as a disaster backup and reduce Tokyo's over-concentration [1].
The legislation is a critical step in ensuring the continuity of government operations during catastrophic events. By distributing administrative functions, Japan aims to mitigate the risks associated with having its primary political and economic infrastructure centered in a single metropolitan area.
The law was passed on the night of June 24, 2024 [2]. Support for the measure came from a majority coalition including the Liberal Democratic Party, the Japan Innovation Party, and Team Mirai [1].
According to TBS NEWS DIG, the law focuses on developing a "secondary capital" to maintain capital functions during disasters and correct the issue of "Tokyo's over-concentration" [3]. The move is intended to create a redundant system for the nation's leadership if the primary capital becomes inaccessible.
Opposition parties raised concerns during the legislative process. They sought to include a supplementary resolution that would require a public referendum for the establishment of special districts, and prohibit the holding of related local government elections on the same day [3].
Some members of the Japan Innovation Party emphasized the political stakes of the project. One lawmaker from the party said, "If this is not realized, the harvest of the coalition is zero" [4].
While the House of Councillors approved the measure on June 24, 2024 [2], reports indicated ongoing deliberations in House of Representatives special committees as recently as June 30, 2024 [5].
“The law focuses on developing a "secondary capital" to maintain capital functions during disasters.”
The establishment of a secondary capital represents a strategic shift in Japan's national resilience planning. By legally codifying the 'secondary capital' concept, the government is moving beyond theoretical disaster planning to a structural reorganization of its administrative geography. This effort addresses both the immediate threat of seismic activity in Tokyo and the long-term socioeconomic challenge of regional decline caused by extreme centralization.
