This is how to build a smart city: the Takeshiba CiP endeavor

 ■This is how to build a smart city: the Takeshiba CiP endeavor

The City & Tech symposium is a technology showcase which was held at Keio University.

CiP is creating a special tech-pop district. Robots, telexistence, drones, 4K8K, 5G, AI, mobility—we are advancing City & Tech’s concept of a supercity which equips an entire city with technology.

The symposium is a place to meet and give status updates.

Kawahara from University of Tokyo, Ikegai from Toyo University, Yonazu from Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Seki from Softbank, Nakagawa from RIKEN, Ochiai from Data Trading Alliance, Tanaka from Tokyu Land, Yasukura from Tanico, and Ishido and me from CiP.

We represented Takeshiba CiP, now under construction. Takeda from Tokyo Land, which is constructing the central 40-storey Tokyo Port City Takeshiba, is working to develop a smart city with Softbank, who will also be tenants of the building. Additionally, he is also building a MaaS society test model and developing the digital signage for the pedestrian deck from Hamamatsucho Station. Keep up the good work!

Professor Kawahara from the University of Tokyo introduced Poimo, a vehicle which is inflated with air like Hoi Poi Capsules. They’re soft, safe, and portable.

He also proposed installing free charging all across the city and a personal mobility share service. 

Let’s install it!

Talk then turned to a data trading infrastructure and data banks.

Associate Professor Ikegai from Toyo University pointed out that “Google’s idea for Toronto and the state of Takeshiba are similar.”

As referred to EU data portability, we posed problems about how to gather data from an entire society and design a smart city.

Professor Ikegai suggested a Takeshiba CiP Data Bank based on the concept of reciprocity.

Participating businesses could digitally provide personal information to the data bank in accordance with the wishes of the owner of that data.

The personal data aggregated by the data bank could be used by the owner and participating businesses through APIs under certain conditions. That was the basic structure.

Seki from Softbank, which will move its main headquarters to Takeshiba, declared that they would use various data from the city.

They would move forward by co-creating with companies and local governments to achieve a smart city.

He said that they would gather, analyze, and use the data gathered in the Takeshiba area and provide a platform for the partners who would gather in Takeshiba.

A key person for the Tokyo Supercity, Yonazu from the Metropolitan Government of Tokyo said, “Nowhere in the world has someone achieved a ‘Fully Future City’, which implements cutting edge technology in all aspects of daily life and accelerates us toward a future society not from the perspective of technological development and supply, but from the viewpoint of the residents. Japan also has all the necessary technology but nowhere to put it to practical use.”

He said that the city also has policy in place for an accelerated timeline to achieve a future society lifestyle by 2030, which offers wide coverage of areas such as transportation, logistics, healthcare, education, energy, and crime-prevention.

They are progressing with the designation of a TOKYO .AI District and the installation of the TOKYO Data Highway (5G). How encouraging.

However, as we discussed smart cities, it still wasn’t clear exactly what a smart city is. “Many countries are still competing over fully using data to provide services.” (Ikegai) “Helsinki and Shanghai have autonomous vehicles.” (Nakagawa from RIKEN) There’s still no definitive model.

“The main body of a smart city is data, and physical elements are overlaid on top.” (Ikegai)

That image is easier to understand. In other words, it’s a data-driven city. What kind of data is used is a key point.

“Rules need to be set in place for using data. Convenience must be shown first.” (Yonazu)

Which field’s data should we start with?

“We should start with solving overall issues which don’t link to individuals, such as where they’re walking or areas of congestion.” (Ikegai)

“Depending on the area, various data and players will gather. They should obtain consent for using each type of data and link them together.” (Ochiai)

“We can’t lock up data. Data will continue multiplying. But, when we die our data will stop growing. What do we do with data after someone dies? Do we use it? Do we simply destroy it?” (Nakagawa)

Such problems were also posed.

As we try to be the first to implement things, we draw out some difficult topics. I ask for your encouragement.