Smart Cities in Japan and Its Application in Developing Countries

Abstract

Smart cities, with their emphasis on efficiency in utilities management such as electricity, gas, water, waste, and transportation, have become central to contemporary urban development debates. Promoted as solutions to global challenges including rising energy consumption, waste, rapid urbanisation, industrial pollution, biodiversity loss, and traffic congestion, smart cities are being advanced in both developed and developing contexts. While developed countries frame the concept within green innovation and sustainable economy strategies, rapidly industrialising cities in developing countries are emerging as major sites of application, with projections estimating a market potential of USD 52 trillion by 2030. Despite strong interest, little has been published on smart cities in urban planning and international development literature. This paper situates smart cities as the latest historical threshold in urban planning, following earlier models such as the streetcar city, dispersed city, linear city, and smart growth city. It identifies four core aspects: energy management (smart grids, renewable sources), waste management (3R principles and material cycles), transportation (EVs, hybrids, non-motorised transport, car sharing), and water management (renewable-powered facilities, water reuse). Drawing on Japanese case studies, the paper highlights innovative practices and the challenges posed by established infrastructure, while emphasising the significant potential for applying smart city concepts in developing countries, particularly in slum contexts and in the energy sector through microgrids.