2nd Futures Session Report (English)

2nd Futures Session

Aging Society Ă— Bedtown Mon 1st October 2012

Overview

The Issue “Bedtowns”, as they are known in Japan, refer to commuter towns or dormitory towns that are situated around a city, enabling residents to travel to the city to work.

However, as the term suggests, they are also described as places where people simply go home to sleep. Bedtowns have played an important role in rebuilding Japan’s economic growth after World War II, sharing a similar history and function to that of the United Kingdom.

These bedtowns were built in the modern to contemporary era during the shift towards industrialisation and urbanisation. However, maybe the values that were established during a young society are now approaching a flexion point. If so, we may be seeing

major changes in urban functions as the

entrepreneurs, NPOs, and other sectors.

population grows older. Any changes in suburban areas that account for a large part

In this session, Fujitsu Laboratories, who

of the population may have major implications

are interested in infrastructures supporting

for regional, community, and societal

the everyday life of bedtown residents, took

issues.

the lead, and set session objectives and contents with other host members. The

For our Futures session, we believed that

session, which considered possible

bedtowns would be representative of

outcomes of major changes in heavily

suburban areas, and by considering

populated urban areas as a result of rapid

bedtowns of the future, we hoped to

aging, was related to Fujitsu Laboratories’

generate new ideas to redesign or create

10-year vision “Toward a Human-Centric

new urban functions and activities that

Networked Society”. It is also of interest to

companies and administrative bodies could

the holding company, Fujitsu, who aim to

then provide in an aging society. Thus, our

support people’s lives and the social

second Futures session “Aging Society x

infrastructure through IT.

Bedtown” was held on October 1st 2012 at Catalyst BA in Futakotamagawa with 37 participants including representatives from companies, local government, social

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Objective This session aimed to consider not only the existing issues experienced by bedtowns, but also the relationships, roles, and functions required in bedtowns in an aging

Keys to success

Examples

Community spirit

Hubs that connect people (local shops, pubs, community centres and sport teams) Co-existence of supermarkets and local speciality shops

Local specialities

(sell local products not available in supermarkets)

society and how new bedtowns should operate in the future.

Environments that encourage easy

Importance of the local high street shops, the informal

conversation

nature of greetings in English

Futures Session Process

Flexible places to work

Many transport options, flexibility in the work place (employees have discretion on working practices)

The session was held according to the following Table 1: Key characteristics of successful bedtowns in the UK

process.

Stage1

New perspectives from guest speakers touching on the commuter town experience in the UK Insights provided by contexts other than Japan.

Stage2

Reasons

Lessening of community spirit

With the increase of large shopping centres, local shops are closing and places where the local community can interact are being lost

Bedtowns from a subjective point of view Gaining insights by sharing individual contexts with other participants.

Stage3

Issues that UK bedtowns are facing

Decrease in motivation for older citizens

Not enough mobility measures for the elderly,

to venture out

reduction in funding available for community infrastructure (e.g. public toilets, libraries) because of

Bedtowns in the context of society

the economic downturn.

As preventative measures,some areas are opening up

Designing the future from a context of

use of school buses for local residents and holding

changes that are already happening.

Stage4

farmers’ markets

Rebuilding bedtowns Backcasting, working our way back from

Table 2: Issues that bedtowns in the UK are facing

the future, to define specific actions that should be taken now.

Let us take a closer look at each process

may be better off since many still have traditions

to relate to bedtowns in the future. Through

such as festivals that bring people together.

this dialogue, each of the participants

and their results.

Stage 1 : New perspectives from guest speakers (Commuter towns in the UK)

produced a personal “bedtown story”.

Stage 2 : Bedtowns from a subjective point of view Time was taken for each participant to write

Huw Oliphant and Tom Mayes from the

down a timeline showing their experience of

British Council, who both have lived in

bedtowns. Then, discussions were held in

bedtowns in the UK, and Satoshi Yanagisawa,

pairs based on these timelines, exploring

a sustainable designer, who has lived in

their experiences and how they would like

bedtowns both in the UK and Japan, talked about their experiences in the UK, sharing stories about successful bedtowns and issues bedtowns face. (See tables 1 and 2.)

The general impression was that bedtowns in the UK basically faced the same issues as in Japan. Regarding local communities, they also said that Japanese communities 2

Stage 3 : Bedtowns in the context of society Seventy-five strands of social innovation news*1, prepared beforehand, were provided to the participants, who were asked to share within the group, items which they thought important. Participants were to consider a newspaper of the future and provide fitting headlines. This enabled us to highlight

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trends in societal change.

For example, the headlines “World’s first

A ‘time market’ just like a financial market is established, making it possible to buy and sell knowledge, roles, and experience in units of time.

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85-year-old entrepreneur!” helped show

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4

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Another 85-year-old entrepreneur!

Successful development of new products, tapping the knowledge of senior citizens. New products and technologies are born from their wisdom.

presentation. The following is a list of the headlines for the future newspaper.

Cross-industry mergers in vogue Different industries merge to produce new goods or monozukuri (craftsmanship) ideas, in an age where personal lives are becoming everyone’s business.

One team chose to summarise the activities of all the teams and show them as their

Cap set for online shopping Limits are set for online shopping to encourage people to purchase at local stores instead of via the Internet. A group reacts to the move and files a lawsuit!

some ways to take advantage of hidden resources in local communities.

Sharing houses can be fun: relaxed open living Potential houses are registered while residents are still alive. Users operate the houses together and they become places where local residents can gather.

‘time market’ open for business”, “Change in the concept of currency”, “Another

World’s first ‘time market’ open for business

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A Japanese company becomes the world’s largest shared-house chain with the world’s number one market value A Japanese company plans to open shared-houses in 45 unique and niche areas around the world. 350 shared-houses operated in Japan attract global workers, appealing to mobile “nomad” workers to come and live and work in Japan. (More than 20 million workers per year.) *Nomad workers are people who do not work from home or at the office, but at coffee shops or fast food restaurants using laptops or tablet computers. (cf. goo Jiten.)

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Change in the concept of currency Experience, know-how, knowledge, information, or wisdom can be used as currency instead of monetary currency, enabling people to make use of their strengths or tap hidden resources.

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Schools become living bases for everyone!

Since many schools have closed down due to the decrease in the number of children, they have been transformed into places where wide-ranging age groups of people can gather. Children can study at these schools, parents who take their children to school can also work there, and senior citizens with free time can act as teachers.

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Cities experience forced reduction in size Cities are forced to become more compact. It becomes mandatory for over-populated cities to reduce the number of people, and under-populated areas to increase its population.

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Dramatic 150% increase in commuting time in a decade Commuting is the source of rich opportunities. The idea is to use the commuting time as an opportunity for people to meet. Morning train events and “running stations” for joggers are set up based on the concept that movement is the key for people to meet each other.

The Future Newspaper *

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From Strategic Business Insights, Inc. SCAN programme Signal of Change (SoC) and Patterns.

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Stage 4 : Rebuilding bedtowns

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Future-style senior residence: “Pin-pin-korori”, a sense of purpose for senior citizens Offering senior citizens a healthy diet and opportunities for moderate exercise and hobbies, as well as other services that make life worthwhile by combining shared-house-style senior residences with social action work

After creating individual “bedtown stories”

such as operating low-cost childcare facilities or providing care services for senior citizens living alone.

in Stage 2 and selecting headlines for a

- Action item Conduct research (visit existing assisted living residences and assess resident needs), create concepts, find business

future newspaper in Stage 3, each participant was then asked to think about what they would like to try in a bedtown, and what would

partners, and prepare business plans.

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People of various industries act as host, inviting other members as guests, to create a community bridging

happen as a result. These ideas were put up

generations, taking them on a tour of places of interest unique to the local area.

on the walls and similar ideas were grouped

- Action item Exchange contact details of members and decide on the first host.

together to form nine groups. The participants within these groups then discussed their

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Town pride project The bedtown issue boils down to the fact that there is a lack of relationships between residents and

ideas of how to reconstruct bedtowns and

homes are simply places where residents sleep. This project hopes to solve the issue by strengthening the

actions they would like to take. The groups

local community.

decided on a project title, action items as

- Action item View national community centres and projects that aim to create local production for local consumption, and visit the town revitalisation workshop at Tama-Plaza and write a report.

the next step, and roles they would take, and then shared the results with the others.

Pub Tree: touring guide

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Bedtown Plan Inc. The Bedtown Plan Inc. hopes to solve bedtown issues through business. The project proposes to increase the number of community enterprises to solve issues not only through community buildings that build

For example, one group presented a project

relationships between people, but also through business.

called “Social business trip: empty house

- Action item

resort theme park” that proposed to use hidden local resources such as empty houses and children’s rooms that are no

Develop necessary framework for Bed Town Plan Inc. to be achieve its goals.

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Existing community organisations (for town communities and festivals) are under threat due to rapid aging and lack of board members. The key is how to bring new people into the existing community and how the

longer used as accommodation spaces.

younger generation of residents in their 30s and 40s establish new relationships within the community.

Their action items included going to find

- Action item Share the community experiences of four members and analyse the common issues and necessary initiatives.

potential properties. Another group presented a project called “Future-style

Sumida ward community support team

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Preventing isolation: creating a place where many generations can interact

senior residences: “Pin-pin-korori”- a sense

One of the bedtown issues is the lack of intergenerational interaction between various age groups. This

of purpose for senior citizens” that

create a support framework which enables people to continue living there.

project proposed to solve this by creating a place where many generations can interact. The aim is to - Action item

proposed to provide shared-house-type senior residences combined with social action work to offer senior citizens a sense of

Survey local people and consider ways to create a place where many generations can interact.

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This project is about using empty houses, shaping communities, and offering a sense of purpose. The project

purpose. The action items for this project

proposes to use empty houses, unused, children’ s rooms, and other empty spaces as accommodation facilities.

It hopes to consider possibilities whether or not this could be achieved as part of corporate CSR activities.

consisted of onsite visits to existing

- Action item

assisted living residences and research of

Ask people to volunteer spaces, gather varied experiences, collect information on corporate business trips, and create a website to send out information.

resident needs.

The list of the projects is as follows.

Social business trips: Empty house resort theme park

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Design your own work and living spaces A bedtown usually separates people from their workplace. The point of this project is not about deciding whether it is good or bad for the workplace and home to be divided, but whether it is possible for each person to design where they want to do what.

- Action item Conduct a workplace trade (try an office trade for a week) or offer a couchsurfing experience (try couchsurfing as accommodation on vacation). *CouchSurfing refers to an international hospitality community free-of-charge available on the internet. For example, people who travel abroad may use this system to stay at the homes of other members based on consensual hospitality and trust. (cf. From Japanese Wikipedia.)

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LIQUI – CITY This project proposed to transform bedtowns into something more attractive, rather than just a place where residents come home to sleep. The aim is to create a unique “Diver-City” , which attracts a diverse range of people and knowledge, a “Univer-City” , where people come and go and share knowledge, and where co-working is widespread, and ultimately a “LIQUI-CITY” which enables a fluid interaction of these elements.

- Action item Make Kagurazaka the model area, reserve a pub in Kagurazaka, and invite guests to a LIQUI-CITY event.

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Spotlight

Figure１：Examining“bedtowns”from a social viewpoint Titles of future newspapers

“World’s first

“Change in the

year old

‘time market’

concept of

entrepreneur!”

opens”

currency”

“Another 85

Utilising hidden resources

Trading in alternatives to monetary currency

Changes to working style

Indicators for future change

“Japanese company becomes the world’s largest shared-house chain with No.1 market value globally”

to maximise local potential

Fusion of work and life

Promoting

Developing

Optimising size

commuting

effectively

eco-friendly

(community building)

open innovation

compact cities

and space

mergers in vogue

everyone”

local potential

Utilising

in a decade

online shopping”

Ways of living

commuting time

Cross-industry

“Cap set for

living bases for

to maximise

used for

commuting time

“Schools become

Ways of working

Making energy

150% increase in

the indicators for future change

Cities experience

Lifestyle changes Developing community spaces

Sharing houses

forced reduction

can be fun

in size

− relaxed open living

The headlines for the future newspaper

that the participants expect workstyles and

seemed to suggest that people are seeing

lifestyles to change or think that they will

signs of societal change in terms of

change more in the future. (See Figure 1.)

workstyles and lifestyles and where these two areas intersect. It may be interpreted

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Figure２: Re-building“bedtowns”

An overview of projects to be trialled

actions

Attract new residents Strengthen the local community

- Utilise empty houses - Shape communities - Provide a sense of purpose

Discovery of resources and issuesfor internal activation

keywords

Social business trips

Increase community ties

Sumida ward

Town pride

−Empty house resort theme parks−

community

project

support team

Discovery of external resources

A new bedtown model Develop community spirit through the design of spaces where there is inter-generational interaction

LIQUI - CITY

Future-style

Pub Tree!

senior residences

Touring local

− ”Pin-pin-korori”

places of interest

Preventing isolation

−Creating places where inter− generational

interaction occurs

Develop attractive towns through diversity, knowledge collection and distinct identities

Share & contribute

Bridge generations

to society

in communities

Provide spaces for cross-generation interaction, and a framework for continued living possibilities in the community

Design your own Solve bedtown issues through business, the development of local jobs, and the launch of community enterprises

Bed Town Plan Inc.

Supporting platform

work and living places

Increase flexibility, and lifestyle and workstyle choices

The projects proposed for bedtowns by

ne c e s s a r y r e g a r di n g t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p

businesses and business clusters that are

each group seemed to suggest a new

between aging societies and bedtowns.

created by Futures sessions in the future?

bedtown model that deals with revitalising

(See Figure 2.)

We hope to paint the future together through further sessions.

communities from the inside while also enhancing relationships with the outside,

The output from this Futures session has

strengthening the community spirit by

given us hope that the proposed projects

creating a place where many generations

could work together to result in the

can gather together and interact. They also

emergence of new bedtowns. What kind of

indicated ideas for a platform to support

aging society will we be able to build

this model. But further contemplation is

through this collaboration of new bedtown

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Published in December 2012 by: British Council / FUJITSU LABORATORIES LTD. / Center for Global Communications, International University of Japan (GLOCOM) / Future Sessions Designed by hereticanthem co.,ltd.

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Š 2012 British Council, Fujitsu Laboratories ltd., Center for Global Communications, International University of Japan, Future Sessions