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