The potential use of green infrastructure in the regeneration of brownfield sites: three case studies from Japan’s Osaka Bay Area

ABSTRACT

The role of green infrastructure (GI) in regenerating brownfield sites has not yet been widely recognised in Japan. In contrast, post-industrial countries in Europe and North America have introduced a number of good practices for GI-led brownfield regeneration. Using GI to revitalise post-industrial areas offers multiple benefits, ranging from ecosystem restoration and increased property values, to improvements in personal well-being, and can serve as an effective climate change adaptation solution. In Japan, nature has traditionally been used to protect the built environment from disaster; for example, preserving forests to prevent landslides, or sand or wind erosion on the coast. Although the application of GI is not a new idea in Japan, its role in revitalising brownfields and building communities has not been widely discussed. This paper explores the potential role of GI-led brownfield regeneration in Japan. Key barriers and drivers in revitalising post-industrial sites through the use of GI are identified using three case studies from the Osaka Bay Area, home to some of Japan’s largest brownfield sites. The paper concludes with highlighting opportunities and challenges for disseminating the concept of GI-led regeneration in the Japanese context.

KEYWORDS:

• green infrastructure
• brownfield regeneration
• post-industrial sites
• Osaka Bay Area
• green space

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the interview participants for their many useful comments. Special thanks go to anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on a previous version of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 More information of Satoyama Initiative is available from the homepage of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative within United Nations University in Tokyo. Accessed October 14 2020. https://satoyama-initiative.org/

2 SEGES (Social and Environmental Green Evaluation System) is explained: https://seges.jp/schema.html (available only in Japanese). The role of the Organisation for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure is summarised: https://urbangreen.or.jp/about/about-us-english. Both homepages accessed October 15 2020.

3 Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai will start on April 13 2025 and be held for six months. Accessed October 16 2020. https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/

4 On the ownership of assets (lands, structures and depreciable assets for business use) in Japan a fixed asset tax of 1.4% of the value of the property are payable by landlords on the 1st of January each year. Accessed October 16 2020. https://resources.realestate.co.jp/buy/guide-to-japanese-real-estate-taxes/

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP6H04474.