The Smart City Project is the first project of the Future Design Center (FDC), a facility established to develop concrete solutions to national problems. The goals of this project are 1. Reduce CO2 emissions by promoting energy conservation and the use of renewable energy, 2. Offer solutions optimized for various regions throughout the world, 3. Improve Quality of Life (QOL), and 4. Contribute to Japan’s environmental industry and the creation of employment. We aim to develop these state-of-the-art models as new social systems for Japan and the world.

This is a national movement [Team Minus 6%] aimed at achieving the target of a 6% reduction relative to the 1990 levels as Japan comitted under the Kyoto Protocol. We were consulted by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in 2004, prior to the start of this activity, to propose and design the basic strategy and to coordinate with business. Subsequently, from 2005 for the implementation of the activities, we organized the collaborations among MOE, advertising agencies, various local organizations, supporting businesses, and the media, and helped with the policy implementation. The estimated impact of this movement has been an increase in GDP of 214 billion yen, and a production ripple effect of 333 billion yen (as of FY2005: Survey by Dai-ichi Life Research Institute)

We received a request from Korean companies who are members of the Federation of Korean Industries to lecture on the Team Minus 6% project as an example of how to design a successful project for a rapidly-changing society.

As Japan's goals for 2050, we advice to government representatives on the effective use of agriculture and energy, and on the current status of technology and available resources of energy, food and water in energy-exporting and food/water-exporting countries, through innovations in technology and social systems.