Minato-ku, Tokyo - In the midst of a severe economic crisis, Minoru Mori, Japan's largest commercial landlord, is emerging as a symbol of inspiration, not only with a vision, but with the willpower, resources and courage to put his innovative ideas into action.
With his new Roppongi Hills urban center - virtually a city-within-a-city - now open in a depressed Tokyo market, some wonder if Mori's quest to change the very nature of urban Japanese living will inspire the harried citizens of Tokyo to address some of the fundamental challenges of their current lifestyles. Will Mori's vision of rebuilding Tokyo into a world-class city succeed in making it a compelling global destination for the world's leaders and a more enjoyable, vibrant urban living space for Japanese?
The Challenge of Tokyo
Tokyo's tradition of privately-owned, small-plot real estate has not changed in hundreds of years and has resulted in a sprawling, low-rise megalopolis that is horizontally dense but vertically low, leading to in-efficient growth. Japan has been neglecting its cities for a long time, and Tokyo has clung to land use policies that have become injurious to the lifestyles of its citizens who spend a grueling three hours a day commuting. It is a significant challenge to urban redevelopment.
These land-use laws result in millions of tiny plots with individually owned buildings, making it difficult to create areas where centralized, more spacious but concentrated commercial and residential centers can be built.
Minoru Mori believes that "to implement a true urban renaissance, you first need a Grand Design elaborated by strong leadership." In a concept he calls the "Urban New Deal," Mori's vision is to make the city more livable and enthralling by building upward, doubling the urban floor space for working and living while at the same time opening new spaces at ground level for sorely needed parks and the vibrant stores, restaurants and cultural amenities that make urban living attractive.
"By using vertical space more effectively, you not only make more room for greenery but shorter commutes also mean less pressure on CO2 emission problems," says Mori, "and by freeing up time now spent on unproductive commuter trains, people would have more options in their lives." His goal is to build in ways that allow people to "live, work and enjoy themselves all within walking distance."
Just as Franklin Roosevelt's original New Deal policy was a comprehensive concept encompassing many situations, Mori's Urban New Deal plan is about far more than finding new space in a crowded city. "As I studied Roosevelt's policy I came to realize that an important place was given to cultural renewal as well as economic revitalization. I believe my concepts are more than just business, they are about our culture."
An optimistic Mori says that "if you rebuild 3 percent of Tokyo a year, this urban dreamscape could become a reality within the next 30 years, or even sooner - as the government is now placing high priority on urban regeneration as one of the areas for economic stimulus."
Mori's developments have been carefully planned to encourage cultural growth as well as office and living. For instance, the 2003 opening of the Mori Art Museum and the Mori Arts Center - centerpieces of the company's new Roppongi Hills complex - will serve as an international magnet for visitors who will also be attracted to the site's galleries, theaters, restaurants and stores. "I want Roppongi Hills to become the true cultural heart of Tokyo," says Mori.
Success Grows with Each New Development
Patience, resolve and a profound love of his country has given Mori the fortitude to work for nearly two decades on single projects designed to convince local property owners to join with him in major ventures such as Roppongi Hills, Ark Hills and Atago Green Hills. Central Tokyo is being transformed with Mori Building Company projects strategically underway throughout the city.
Mori's determination and vision is already having a profound impact. Since the completion of his Atago Green Hills project, which demonstrated that more green space could be created by building upward, some of the traditional, problematic land use policies have been changed, including a new requirement that future developments dedicate 20% of building area to greenery.
The Past and Future of Minoru Mori
Today, the world knows Minoru Mori as a billionaire determined to use his resources to improve the lives of his countrymen. But he wasn't born into great wealth. As a student at the University of Tokyo, in 1959 he co-founded Mori Building Company with his father, who was a university professor, to manage the Mori family's property in Tokyo. At the time, Minoru was more interested in writing and literature than in managing a business. However, while working with his father, Minoru immediately realized the need to gain the trust of Tokyo's small landlords in order to create and fulfill the need for new urban spaces. By pioneering the concept of partnering with local land owners for each new development and by following his fundamental belief of creating good buildings and compelling street space, Mori Building Company has grown into Japan's largest developer and has positioned Minoru Mori to be one of the leading forces of Japan's transition into the 21st century.
In 1993, Minoru Mori succeeded his father as president of Mori Building Company infusing the company with his sense of idealism by revealing his mission. He believes the goal of a corporation is to earn a profit, but hinges that goal on the ideal that a corporation deserves a profit only if it can improve the knowledge and ability of individuals or organizations. Therefore, as a real estate developer, he believes his purpose is to generate profit by constructing good buildings and creating beautiful street space. Today, Mori Building Company owns nearly 100 buildings in Japan, and is changing Tokyo's skyline.
Even with the successful completion of landmark developments throughout central Tokyo, Minoru Mori is pressing forward. "I still have not reached the point where I want to be, but over the latter part of my career, I have tackled work with the belief that Tokyo is not inferior to other cities in the area of urban environment. My aim is globalization - not in the sense of incorporating what's foreign, but in the sense of welcoming people from abroad. This approach is finally beginning to be realized. People are coming to recognize that Japan is not just a place you travel to but a place in which you are welcome."
"The disadvantages of a decentralized, spread out urban area are tremendous, and the environmental damage of urban sprawl cannot be ignored. As a large city, Tokyo must be used more efficiently and the population density increased. In fact we must triple or quadruple the number of residents. This will enable us to welcome more people from abroad and supply them with a better environment and more economical living conditions."