Tsukuba Science City

This is a research and education city located in Tsukuba City, southwest of Ibaraki Prefecture. It was developed to alleviate overcrowding in the capital Tokyo by systematically relocating national testing and research institutes, and to create a base for the promotion of science and technology, and for the enhancement and development of research and education. It consists of the research and education district and the surrounding development district, which stretches 18 km north to south and 6 km east to west, covering an area of ​​2,700 hectares. Including the surrounding development district, the area is 28,400 hectares, with a planned future population of 350,000 (218,000 as of 2013). It was decided by the Cabinet in 1963 (Showa 38), and the basic plan was finalized in 1967. By 1980, all 43 research facilities, including those of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of Construction, Science and Technology Agency, and Environment Agency, had been relocated. Nine other organizations, including corporations, were also built. Subsequently, the number of public institutions increased by four, bringing the total to 46 (with the reorganization of central government ministries and agencies in January 2001, of the aforementioned public institutions, the Ministry of Education and the Science and Technology Agency were reorganized into the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health and Welfare into the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry into the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction into the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications into the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and the Environment Agency into the Ministry of the Environment).

In 1985, the International Exposition of Science and Technology (commonly known as EXPO'85) was held, and the research and development divisions of about 160 private companies have set up shop in the Tsukuba West Industrial Park, Tsukuba North Industrial Park, Tsukuba Technopark Toyosato, Tsukuba Technopark Oho and other industrial parks. The development of the research and education district by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (now the Urban Renaissance Agency) was almost completed in 1998. The population of the Sakura district, which is home to the most institutions, including the University of Tsukuba, has seen a remarkable increase in its population.

Low-productivity flatland forests and farmland have been developed, and construction costs of over 1.1 trillion yen have been poured into the area, with the opening of the University of Tsukuba and its affiliated hospital, which have had a major impact on the surrounding area, but on the other hand, the city center's urban functions have been immature, and the area was divided into six towns and villages before the creation of Tsukuba City (1987), and administrative functions were not unified, leading to concerns that the quality of life for the residents of the university was inadequate. However, with the creation of Tsukuba City and subsequent expansion into a single administrative organization, the construction of the Tsukuba Center Building (1983), a complex cultural facility, the development of a transportation terminal, large-scale shopping centers, and the opening of the Tsukuba Express in 2005, the area has developed into Japan's largest research and development center in the field of cutting-edge technology.

[Akitoshi Sakurai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

茨城県南西部、つくば市内にある研究学園都市をいう。首都東京の過密状態を緩和するために国の試験・研究機関などを計画的に移転させ、あわせて科学技術振興、研究・教育の充実、発展の拠点とすることを目的に開発された。研究学園地区と周辺開発地区からなり、研究学園地区は南北18キロメートル、東西6キロメートル、面積2700ヘクタール。周辺開発地区を含めると2万8400ヘクタールあり、将来計画人口は35万人（2013年現在21.8万人）。1963年（昭和38）に閣議決定、1967年基本計画が確定、1980年までに予定した文部省、厚生省、農林水産省、通商産業省、運輸省、郵政省、建設省および科学技術庁、環境庁などの研究施設合計43機関がすべて移転を完了。ほかに法人組織などの9機関が建設された。その後、公的機関は4機関増え、46機関となった（2001年1月の中央省庁再編により、前述の公的機関のうち、文部省と科学技術庁は文部科学省、厚生省は厚生労働省、通商産業省は経済産業省、運輸省と建設省は国土交通省、郵政省は総務省、環境庁は環境省に改組された）。

　1985年（昭和60）には国際科学技術博覧会（通称科学万博、EXPO'85）が開催され、その跡地にできた筑波西部工業団地のほか、筑波北部工業団地、つくばテクノパーク豊里(とよさと)、同大穂(おおほ)などの工業団地を中心に約160の民間企業の研究・開発部門が進出した。住宅・都市整備公団（現、都市再生機構）による研究学園地区の基盤整備は1998年（平成10）にほぼ完成した。筑波大学などもっとも多くの機関をもつ桜地区の人口増加が著しい。

　生産性の低い平地林や畑地が開発され、1兆1000億円を超す建設費が投入され、さらに筑波大学とその附属病院の開業など周辺地域住民への開発効果は大きいが、他面では中心部の都市機能の未熟、つくば市誕生（1987）以前は6町村に分かれていたことなど、行政機能の不統一もあって、学園居住者の生活面での不十分さが指摘されてきた。しかし、つくば市の誕生とその後の編入拡大で一つの行政組織になったこと、複合文化施設つくばセンタービルの建設（1983）や交通ターミナル、大規模ショッピングセンターなどの整備、また、2005年にはつくばエクスプレスが開通したことなどにより、先端技術分野をになう日本最大の研究開発センターとして発展している。

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