Key Facts
• July 19, 2025: Symposium held on Kumamoto City Hall redevelopment and urban planning.
• New City Hall and Assembly Building to be relocated to NTT Sakuramachi site.
• Central Ward Office to move to Hanabatamachi Annex site.
• 450 participants attended, including students and local residents.
• Fukuoka Mayor highlighted ‘Tenjin Big Bang’ success due to deregulation.
• Kumamoto Mayor linked redevelopment to lessons from 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake.
• Fukuoka’s Daimei Elementary site transformed into Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City in 2023.
• Kumamoto Mayor called redevelopment a ‘once-in-a-century opportunity.’
• Basic redevelopment plan for Kumamoto City to be finalized by fiscal year 2025.
Summary
Kumamoto City hosted a symposium on July 19, 2025, to discuss urban planning opportunities arising from the redevelopment of its City Hall. The project involves relocating the City Hall and Assembly Building to the NTT Sakuramachi site and the Central Ward Office to the Hanabatamachi Annex site. Approximately 450 participants attended, including students and residents. Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima shared insights on the ‘Tenjin Big Bang,’ emphasizing the role of deregulation in revitalizing Fukuoka’s city center. Kumamoto Mayor Kazufumi Onishi highlighted the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake as a catalyst for disaster-resilient urban planning. He described the redevelopment as a ‘once-in-a-century opportunity’ to enhance the city’s functionality amid population decline. Drawing parallels, Fukuoka’s transformation of the Daimei Elementary site into the Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City in 2023 was cited as a successful example of mixed-use redevelopment. Kumamoto City aims to finalize its basic redevelopment plan by fiscal year 2025, incorporating public input to ensure a sustainable and inclusive urban future.
