A Fast-Foodisation of Land… Notes from Atsushi Miura's Book Fast-fûdosation of Japan

We continue to explore Japan's cities up to 18th December since we will go back to Paris. I currently read a book Post-3.11 design of society and architecture that begs a set of questions that cannot be sumarized in few lines.

The book Fast-fûdoka suru Nippon ファスト風土化する日本 written by Atsushi Miura (Yôsensha Publishers) must be once again read in this particular moment. Fast-Fûdoka suru nihon means accurately: Japanese term 'Fûdo' becoming food (with its pronunciation translated in katakana フード for fûdo) or a 'fast-foodisation' of Japan.

Reading this book will provide a better understanding of the consequences of 3.11 events on the northeast coastal areas due to 'fast-foodisation' of Japan's lands. Constrained from expanding spatially by the shortage of buildable land, Japan seems to be continually in seek for more lands to respond to housing, offices, and infrastructure pressures.

Geological Map of Northeast Japan. Originally posted on Just Learn..

In a 20th century consisting of a rapid growing population's urban land demand and fast-growing cities, this region has been swallowed by urbanization with the emergence of new housing ownership, turning into very fast-growing cities. In this context, instead of preserving the identity of this region (its landform), this leads to coastal developements, say clusters of housing, infrastructures and other urban components implanted alongside the coast that slowly but certainly replaced the natural elements, ignoring hazardous factors. As seen, land has been marketed in the 20th century to accommodate the growing urban population. And this region is obviously not an exception. 

Yet, this part of northeast region seems the less suitable area for inhabitants due to hazards such as tsunami risks when a maritime earthquake hits the region. 

These aspects have nevertheless been ignored, at least neglected. Subsequently, this urban sprawl, including Fukushima nuclear power plant, impacted on the landforms (valleys, tablelands, alluvial plains, hills). Needless to say the lack of space is an explanation of 20th century's fast-growing urbanization. In this context, this lack of space in Japan has serious consequences not only on environment but also on living conditions, meaning you need to live with risk.

Northeastern Japan's Landform. Originally appeared on Just Learn..

Post-3.11 Japan is in the face of a very consequent challenge: how to do with existing resources while guaranteeing the best standard of living for its dwellers?

This begs another question: how should this devasted part of Japan be rebuilt? No matter how it will be rebuilt, what this threatened as well as threatening region needs is a new landscape serving as connector and protector, namely a reactivation of natural environment, an ecology zone — remediating wetlands, protected landforms, park, natural habitat, and why not pools for hybrid ecologies, etc. — that will, first, improve threatening natural disasters risk policies, and second be offering an opportunity for economic and social innovations.