In almost every piece of science fiction, Japan is devastated by some maniacal genius, a meteorite or nuclear war, so upon hearing about the government's plan titled Back-Up Tokyo, an initiative to built a substitute city in case of a disaster, it didn't strike me as unreasonable.
During World War I, the French built an entire replica of Paris in order to confuse the daily German bombing sorties, and the idea behind Back-Up Tokyo is similar. Instead of protecting the city from a clear and present enemy, however, it's meant to give the residents of the world's densest city a replacement for their destroyed homes and communities in the event of a natural catastrophe. Codenamed 'IRTBBC' (Integrated Resort, Tourism, Business and Backup City), the metropolis will be built approximately 300 miles west of Tokyo, and will be designed to house 50,000 residents, 200,000 daytime workers and an emergency seat of government.
Let's just hope they don't rename the alternate city Neo-Tokyo, lest those science fiction tropes become a reality!
Substitute Super-Cities
Back-Up Tokyo is the Government's Special Plan to Replace Japan's Capital
Trend Themes
1. Disaster Preparedness Cities - The Back-Up Tokyo initiative highlights the emerging trend of building substitute cities to provide residents with a replacement in the event of a natural disaster.
2. Replica Cities - The concept of constructing replica cities, like the French replica of Paris during World War I, is being explored as a strategy to confuse potential threats and protect the original city.
3. Integrated Resort Cities - The proposed substitute city IRTBBC aims to integrate tourism, business, and government facilities, indicating a trend towards developing multi-purpose cities.
Industry Implications
1. Civil Engineering - Building substitute cities requires expertise in civil engineering to plan and construct infrastructure that can withstand potential disasters.
2. Urban Planning - Urban planners play a vital role in designing and mapping out the layout of substitute cities to ensure the efficient use of space and resources.
3. Emergency Management - The development of backup cities necessitates collaboration with emergency management professionals to establish protocols and systems for seamless relocation and governance in times of crisis.