A Farsighted Approach to Local Revitalization (2)

*Continued from Interview Part 1

*Insights shared in this dialogue are personal and do not represent those of any organization.
*Affiliations and positions are current at the time of this writing (September 2025).
*The interview was conducted at MIRAI LAB PALETTE (MLP).

Incorporating local perspectives in future scenarios

Although Yokogawa is a global entity, its nationwide network of distributors plays a major role in domestic sales in Japan, making local ties of critical importance.

Future Co-creation Initiative Project Leader Nobuyuki Tamaki weighs in.

“Factories—Yokogawa’s primary clients—are located outside the major metropolitan areas. Their distributors, therefore, have service outlets all over Japan. The local perspective is thus of critical importance. Those at Tokyo headquarters must be attuned to the realities faced by residents and distributors and possess a visceral understanding of site-specific conditions.

“I had the opportunity to speak about the Future Co-creation Initiative at a meeting of nationwide distributors. The presidents and other representatives in attendance listened attentively. Many local distributors expressed a sense of urgency regarding social changes and shared their perspectives on issues such as labor shortages and the long-term business outlook.

“I would therefore like to see the Future Co-creation Initiative also carefully preserve our nationwide ties and increase input from local sites.”

Local landscapes at risk

Ryo Notsuke, one of the scenario ambassadors who crafted Future Scenario 2040, addresses input from various local sites through the eyes of a young leader.

“When speaking with other Yokogawa members, we tend to think like businesspersons from a major corporation in Tokyo. For example, we often talk in terms of numbers, like ‘The temperature has risen X degrees, creating a Y percent rise in sea level.’

“Yet an individual running a local family brewery commented on a future scenario by suggesting, ‘If climate change progresses, we may lose the natural blessings in the land we’ve inhabited for generations along with our ability to grow sake rice.’ Their alarm over the ecosystem or terroir disintegration was intense and represented a critical insight.”

Scenario Ambassador Takeyuki Mogi contributed an important consideration which emerged from a conversation he had with residents of one regional city.

“Young people in that area love the local culture and seek to preserve it. Urbanization is a global phenomenon, but it begs the question of whether this population concentration is a positive force.”

Fostering urban-local co-creation as an “interpreter”

Nakaya has the highest attendance rate among members of the Green Phoenix Project (GPP), a joint industry-government-academia learning community. What draws him to the GPP?

“Large cities derive their strength from diversity and information. Participating in the GPP affords me cutting-edge knowledge and expertise. I’d say that is the primary draw.

“The fact remains that major corporations and global entities look outward, whereas individuals in local cities such as Matsuyama have less access to information, so they focus inward. When the latter discuss GPP activities, they conclude that such achievements are only possible for a major Tokyo corporation. However, focusing too much on Matsuyama’s perspective prevents us from gaining the benefits of new awareness. It’s important to bridge the gap between these different sensibilities.”

One of Nakaya’s ongoing activities is organizing around 100 study sessions and seminars annually for corporate entities. Expertise gained from GPP activities bolsters this effort.

“I invite the GPP stakeholders to Matsuyama for the purpose of conducting lectures. This creates opportunities for them to connect and engage in dialogue with local entities.

Notsuke refers to Nakaya as “the GPP interpreter.”

“Nakaya translates the content of Tokyo GPP events into local logic. He might comment, ‘Here’s how local communities would interpret this discussion.’”

This “interpreter” is what the Future Co-creation Initiative refers to as a “boundary spanner.”

Nakaya suggests that “the Chamber of Commerce and Industry fulfills this role. Perhaps it’s the result of our professional training,” he modestly adds.

Hopes for global awareness of Japan’s local charms

During the Edo period (1600-1868), Japan was governed by a decentralized system, with individual domains known as han exercising considerable autonomy and cultivating distinctive local cultures. However, the mid-1800s saw a shift to a strong centralized government to counter Western powers. Nakaya traces Tokyo’s ongoing extreme centralization back to this Meiji-era realignment (1868-1912).

“This is what I’d like the world to know,” Nakaya begins.

“The natural beauty, resources, culture, and art which afford Japan global pride are mostly found in the local areas that reach far beyond metropolitan areas. As the nation is stretched into a slender archipelago, each region retains its local culture, which is one of Japan’s strengths. Western Japan, including Matsuyama, largely retains its ancient roots.

“I hope that the rest of the world will find the opportunity to experience Japan’s rich natural beauty, history, and culture. I also hope that the advanced nations sharing the depopulation issue will transcend borders to tackle this problem together, addressing preservation of their respective cultures and local communities from a global perspective.”

Nakaya offers closing thoughts on promoting local revitalization for a better future.

“Intergenerational co-creation will be essential in regions where the declining birth rate and aging population are accelerating, and the number of young people is decreasing dramatically. For a long time, community decision-making has typically been in the hands of a limited number of individuals, but going forward, organizations are needed that enable young people—the future leaders—to participate in decision-making and contribute to their communities.”

Our interview with Nakaya focused on tackling local challenges in Matsuyama, a core city where livability coexists with traditional culture, from a long-term perspective. Japan is facing a mountain of problems, such as the potential disappearance of cities and the collapse of the social security system due to the declining population. Yet these are also urgent challenges shared by nations worldwide. Might Japan emerge as the first advanced nation to succeed in local revitalization, creating a positive model for achieving economic growth to share with the world?

Understanding and learning from local areas: Exploring this approach may lead to a better tomorrow, not only for Japan but for our planet as a whole.

The Future Co-creation Initiative will continue to engage in dialogue with communities nationwide, connecting generations, nations, and industries to jointly envision the future.

Pictured (from left): Takeyuki Mogi (Yokogawa), Kaori Shimizu (Yokogawa), Hitoshi Nakaya (Matsuyama Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Nobuyuki Tamaki (Yokogawa), Ryo Notsuke (Yokogawa)