Zero-Carbon City and Community in Japan—Policies, Proposals, and Examples

This chapter discusses policyPolicy trends for zero-carbon cities (communitiesCommunity) in Japan, recommendations by academia, and examples of decarbonized cityCity planningPlanning based on literature. Regarding policy trends, the overall movement since the 2050 carbon neutral declaration by the former Prime Minister in October 2020 is discussed. Further, the Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures in 2021, which intends to create more than 100 decarbonized leading areas by FY2030, is highlighted. Next, the proposalsProposals made by the Architectural Institute of Japan and the Science Council of Japan regarding zero-carbon cities and communitiesCommunity are explained and commented upon. In the latter half of this paper, an overview of the decarbonizationDecarbonization efforts in 26 regions selected as decarbonization leading areas and specific examples of four regions is provided. In conclusion, the author summarizes the efforts regarding zero-carbon cities/communities via enhanced shelter performance by insulating and air-tightening buildings, improving facility efficiency, and introducing renewable energy sources.