Initiatives and Current Issues of Smart City Development in the IoT Era

Abstract

In Japan, various efforts are being made by both the public and private sectors to respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation, super cities/smart cities, and other initiatives as part of policy measures. Since the declaration of the pandemic, there has been an inevitable transformation in people’s lifestyles and economic activities worldwide, making it increasingly necessary to accelerate these initiatives. In other words, the pandemic shock is causing paradigm shifts in various fields. Furthermore, the government established the Digital Agency on September 1, 2021, with the mission of swiftly and strategically implementing administrative tasks related to the formation of a digital society. As a key strategy for regional revitalization, they have introduced the “Digital Rural City State Concept” to promote the implementation of digital and smart cities from the “regions.” This article provides an overview of the ongoing smart city initiatives in Japan and discusses the current challenges.