Tokyo will retain its status as Japan’s capital, but the government has released criteria for a “vice‑capital” that could take over if a major disaster incapacitates the capital.
Eligibility rules announced
The cabinet, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, said a city must be in a prefecture containing at least 1.2% of the national population and contributing at least 2.1% of Japan’s gross domestic product. It must also be far enough from Tokyo to avoid the same disaster zone and be able to host facilities for at least half of the 28 categories of national government field offices.
Potential candidates
Four prefectures meet the new standards: Osaka, Aichi, Fukuoka and Hokkaido. Their major cities – Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo – are now being positioned as possible vice‑capitals. Yokohama, despite being the second‑largest city, was excluded because it lies only about 30 minutes south of Tokyo, making it vulnerable to the same seismic or volcanic event.
The concept of a backup capital, known as a “fukushuto,” was first promoted by the Japan Innovation Party, which has strong support in Osaka. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party later adopted the idea, seeking broader political backing.
Historical precedent exists for moving Japan’s capital. The imperial court moved from Nara to Kyoto, then to Kamakura during the shogunate era, and finally to Edo in 1868, renaming it Tokyo, meaning “eastern capital.”
Officials have not set a timeline for selecting a vice‑capital, but legislators from the qualifying prefectures are expected to lobby for their cities in the coming months.
Why it matters: Designating a backup capital would ensure continuity of government functions if a large earthquake or a Mt. Fuji eruption disrupts Tokyo, protecting national administration and providing stability for the region and its international partners.