 |
Urgent
Appeal and Results of Questionnaire Survey on Opinion Leaders’
Views on the Feasibility of Shifting the Capital from Tokyo
(December 13, 2000)
Shift of Capital from Tokyo Committee |
| |
| The
Shift of Capital from Tokyo Committee (Chairman: Haruo Shimada,
Professor, Keio University) conducted a “Questionnaire
survey on opinion leaders’ views on the feasibility of
shifting the capital away from Tokyo,” targeting prefectural
governors, city administrators, and business leaders.
In view of the arguments being made against the shift, the
objective of the survey was to assess the opinions of people
in all spheres of society, and to compile enough material
to be used as reference in future discussions on the shifting
of the capital. The major findings of the survey are as follows. |
| |
 |
|
| • |
50
to 70% of prefectural governors, city administrators, and business
leaders agree to the shifting of the capital, including
those who answered that they “somewhat agree.” |
| |
|
| • |
40%
of prefectural governors think that the current plans for
the shift will be realized, while the figure hovered around
the 10% level for cities and businesses. |
| |
|
| • |
“Public
consensus-building,” “clarification of the significance
of shifting the capital,” and “review of the functions of the central
government” were given by most respondents
as the preconditions for shifting the capital away from Tokyo. |
| Based on the above
findings, the committee announced an urgent appeal for the
establishment of a promotion committee for the shifting
of the capital directly under the prime minister to present
to the public a future image of Japan that incorporates
the various reforms currently being pursued in relation to
the shifting of the capital. |
|
|
|
|
