Kyoto

While Kyoto is considered one of the best places in Japan to raise a family, larger national trends of population decline have brought a host of economic and social challenges.

The knock-on effects of Japan’s declining population include degradation of public services and an increased burden on young working people to support the social security system.

Kyoto has a long history of resilience in the face of earthquakes, and has conducted extensive research to model the impacts of potential earthquake-related shocks. Damage to infrastructure and cultural assets would pose long-term challenges to the city’s stability.

To tackle these challenges, Kyoto is working toward greater cooperation between the municipal administration, private companies, and local communities to generate a comprehensive resilience program. The city has established evacuation centers and created manuals and training programs to prepare citizens in the event of a devastating earthquake.