OSAKA AND ITS TECHNOLOGY NO. 35 March 1999 CONTENTS Konohana Western Bay Area Redevelopment Project —Universal Studios Japan as a Core of the Redevelopment— ………………………………………… 1 1. Osaka City Bay Area Development Project 2. Project’s Background and Process 3. Access to/from Konohana Western Bay Area 4. Project Outline 5. Universal Studios Japan 6. Development of Peripheral Area of Universal Studios Japan 7. Conclusion Permeable Fired Block “RAITO” …………………………………………………………………………… 14 1. Introduction 2. Development and Manufacture of “RAITO” 3. Use of RAITO 4. Afterword <References> Extension and Upgrading of New Transportation System New Tram —Linked Operation Service with Osaka Port Transport System’s Line— ………………………… 19 1. Introduction 2. System Description of the Nanko Port Town Line New Tram and the OTS New Tram Technoport Line 3. Concept of Upgrading 4. Problems in Upgrading 5. Solutions to the Problems 6. Measures for Enhanced Safety and Reliability 7. Conclusion Prepaid Card Fare System “Surutto KANSAI” ……………………………………………………………… 29 1. Introduction 2. Outline of the Prepaid Card Fare System “Surutto KANSAI” 3. “Surutto KANSAI” Network Area and Titles of Prepaid Cards of Respective Railways 4. In Conclusion Konohana Western Bay Area Redevelopment Project —Universal Studios Japan as a Core of the Redevelopment— Kosaku Hamada Planning and Coordination Bureau 1. Osaka City Bay Area Development reigned in the Osaka bay area and supported Japanese Project industry, to withdraw from the front lines. The same can be said of the textile industry, another source of Osaka’s The Osaka metropolitan area, with a radius of 50 - 80 vitality for a long period. Neither industry was able to km, is equal in size to Japan’s other major metropolitan hold out in the trend toward globalization. area, Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It has a population of 18 It seems that the bursting of the bubble economy has million and a gross product of $800 billion. accelerated these trends in the socio-economic situation. As a center of Japan’s politics, economy, and culture, In the midst of this difficult time, Isomura, a former pro- the Osaka metropolitan area is comprised of many charac- fessor of economics, was elected Mayor of Osaka and teristic cities including Nara, Kyoto, Kobe, and Osaka, began to transform Osaka into an “International Visitor some of which have flourished for more than 1,000 years. Friendly City.” In modern times, the area has developed steadily as a com- First, directing his attention to a structural shift in the mercial and industrial area. Among the area’s cities, Osaka bay area, Mayor Isomura promoted projects to Osaka City plays a central role not only because of its geo- develop the area, including Tempo-zan, Chikko area, graphical superiority, but because of its prominent history Cosmosquare, Yumeshima, Maishima, and Universal in commerce and industry. (Figure 1) Studios Japan, as well as to construct infrastructure such as railway and road systems connecting these areas. Various attractive projects have been implemented to revitalize the site of old port facilities and factories, Sapporo making the area busy and exciting, as it used to be. These projects include the construction of Kaiyukan, an aquarium Hiroshima with many special features; shopping cen- Kobe ters, hotels, and museums; as well as improvement of the whole of the area’s Kyoto Fukuoka waterfront, to make it open to citizens for strolling. Cosmosquare, Yumeshima, and Sendai Maishima, all reclaimed lands, have been developed under respective plans, so that Tokyo Yokohama each can be a hub with different charac- Nagoya teristic in the 21st century. Having its Okinawa Nara own theme to attract visitors, these hub Osaka areas are expected to interact to produce a newly vital power, based on which the City itself will become a more exciting Fig. 1 place. The bay area surrounding Osaka Port is called the “golden ring,” since it is developed in a ring-shape (Figure 2). Japan’s industrial structure has recently shifted from Secondly, the Mayor’s policies emphasize the develop- mass production of heavy industry goods, into limited pro- ment of downtown Osaka, making many hubs in the inland duction of a wide variety of goods; in other words, from area also, while encouraging private redevelopment pro- quantity to quality. People’s values have also diversified. jects by alleviating restrictions on the building volume/lot Such trends have forced heavy industry, which has long ratio. 1 Project Map South-north axis Park built over Juhachijo Sewerage Mikuni Station and peripheral areas (Land readjustment project) Shin-Osaka Station (SORA Shin-Osaka 21) Creo Osaka North Museum of Modern Arts, National Museum of International Arts East-west axis Comprehensive Center of Performing Arts Kashima Area International Conference Hall (Land readjustment project) Sewerage Science Museum Yodo Great Drainage Canal Takami Area (Residential district) Bay axis Tsuneyoshi Ohashi Bridge Project Maritime Museum ATC (Asia and Pacific Trade Center) WTC (Osaka World Trade Center Building) Nagai Athletics Field Kagaya Ryokuchi (Historic site of Shinden-kaisho) Legend Urban axis Resident-oriented project (South-north axis, East-west Railroad network project axis, Bay axis) Construction to elevate railroads New center of Osaka (Technoport) Sewerage artery, Drainage canal, Rivers Business- and commerce- oriented project New bridges project Culture- and amenity-oriented JR Loop Line project Subway, New Tram Fig. 2 Mayor Isomura policies will activate Osaka City, create The Konohana Western Bay Area (photo 1), a 156-ha new employment, and eventually have favorable economic area located north of the Osaka City’s coastal area, has effects in the 21st century. It is no exaggeration to say that been designated one of the hub areas on the golden ring. the Mayor’s policies give us bright prospects for the 21st The redevelopment project aims to convert the area, devel- century. Since activating the mother city greatly affects oped as an industrial zone, into an attractive place the entire metropolitan area, the revitalization of Osaka anchored around Universal Studios Japan, an entertainment City has significant meaning for the Osaka metropolitan theme park where visitors can experience the movies. In area as a whole. the neighboring areas of the USJ, it is planned to invite 2 related industries, such as the commercial, service, and cul- chemical industries. The Konohana Western Bay Area is tural industries. It is hoped that the Osaka bay area, once part of this area. Large-scale factories were constructed called the Asian Manchester, will recover from its setback here during Meiji era (1868 - 1912), including Osaka man- to take the limelight again in the 21st century, thanks to the ufactory of Kisha Seizo (Rolling Stock Manufacturing Co., redevelopment project. Ltd.), Sakurajima factory of Hitachi Zosen Corporation, a The number of annual visitors to the USJ is estimated to steel mill of Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd., and be 8 million; current investment is about ¥327 billion, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., all of which greatly including ¥170 billion for theme park construction costs, contributed to the modernization of Japan. Some of these ¥93 billion for readjustment streets and town lots, ¥14 bil- factories are still actively in operation. lion for infrastructure construction in the harbor area, and However, the recent transfer of harbor functions to ¥50 billion for construction of the station complex, whose newly reclaimed land and the change in industrial structure design is to be selected through a competition. wrought by the advancement of technological innovation Such investment in construction could temporarily boost have caused a decline in large-scale factories, which were the area’s business; furthermore, once the project is com- compelled to move out of the Osaka bay area. Thus, in pleted and the USJ commences its operation, economic general, the land is not being fully used; this has prompted activity over the 156-ha area will bring in an annual total the City to reactivate the area and its urban functions. revenue of ¥860 billion. The number of people employed The Osaka City Comprehensive Plan for the 21st in relation to the redevelopment project is expected to Century, a master plan for Osaka City, defines rearrange- increase by 77,000. (Increase in direct employment within ment of the Osaka bay area as follows: “The area will be the area will be 12,000.) redeveloped to serve as an integrated hub of new urban- oriented industries including R&D, experiment-based, information, and culture-creation industries, as well as to greatly improve its manufacturing and harbor functions. 2. Project’s Background and Process Space that could be created after improvement of conven- The Osaka bay area has long played an important role in tional functions will be converted into places for various the development of Japan’s economy, as a core of the cultural activities, a resort, and a residential quarter, taking Hanshin Bay Area Industrial Zone, one of the leading full advantage of the waterfront location, with the aim of industrial zones in Japan. The area flourished during the harmonizing with the conventional functions of the area.” ’60s, a high-growth period of the Japanese economy, with Such redevelopment is required by most of the Osaka many large-scale factories of shipbuilding, and heavy and bay area. One such portion is the 156-ha of the Konohana Konohana Western Bay Area Photo 1 3 Western Bay Area, most of which is owned by major com- 3. Access to/from Konohana Western panies. Being at a loss how to convert the use of their lots Bay Area to match the demands of the times, the companies com- menced related researches in the ’80s. However, besides (1) Expressway Network (Figure 3) limitations imposed by a city planning, they lacked the Universal Studios Japan will be built at the intersecting know-how to enter other fields of business, since they had point of the Osaka Wangan Route of Hanshin Expressway long clung to heavy industry.