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Tokyo, Japan
Known as Edo until 1868, Tokyo is a coastal city with an
intricate history. In 1457, Edo Castle was constructed and in
1603 it became the seat of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Under the
Tokugawas, the city was constructed in order to profit from the
natural waterways that serve as transportation canals. By the
early 1700's, the population of Tokyo was already estimated at
1.2 million, while the population of London and Paris was 650,000
and 500,000 respectively. In 1868, with the overthrow of the
Tokugawas and the beginning of the Meiji era, Edo became capital
of Japan under a new name, Tokyo, which means "Capital of the
East".
At the beginning of the Second World War, after intensive
modernization, Tokyo had a population of 7.4 million, despite
the Great Earthquake of 1923. In 1950 the population was 6.9
million and doubled to 16.5 million in 1970. In 1995, the
estimated population of the urban agglomeration was 26.8
million.
Tokyo has a concentration of light manufacturing but also
produces goods which require a sizable workforce, such as
electrical products, cameras and automobiles. Most
establishments, however, are small shops with fewer than 30
workers.
Tokyo serves as a wholesaling and distribution centre for
surrounding areas, and is also the chief financial centre of
Japan. Tokyo houses many domestic and international corporate
headquarters.
After the Second World War, Tokyo experienced a large housing
demand which it could not satisfy. The 1970's and 1980's
witnessed a surge in construction of multistory condominiums
intended for sale. However, the prices soared making them
inaccessible and unable to meet the needs of the city.
Though Tokyo, like other major cities, suffers from traffic
congestion, the main congestion is on the public system
during peak hours. The major method of transportation in Tokyo
is the dense network of electric railways, subways, and bus
lines, which keeps pollution from cars relatively low.
Water is supplied by aqueduct systems to the metropolitan area.
Local waterworks and private industrial and residential systems
supplement the municipal water supply. The main sources of water
are the Tama and Tone-Edo rivers and three reservoirs. However,
in order to meet increasing demand, additional dams have been
built on nearby rivers, which is causing the eastern lowlands
area to subside.
The rapid growth of the metropolitan area stressed the sewage
system which in turn resulted in the decrease of water quality.
However, since the 1960's, sewage systems have improved and
refuse is now incinerated, recycled or reused.
Periodically, there have been proposals to relocate the
nation's capital away from Tokyo in an effort to decentralize. However, to date none have come close to implementation.
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