ABSTRACT
Smart cities are enthusiastically promoted around the world by industry and governments alike as a desirable means to achieve urban sustainability. This chapter contributes empirical evidence on how projects reflecting qualities of a Smart City 2.0 model can play out on the ground. It examines two Japanese smart cities addressing the interconnected challenges of an ageing society and preventative health care for the elderly: Kashiwanoha Smart City near Tokyo and Aizuwakamatsu Smart City in Fukushima Prefecture. The Smart City 2.0 model places the needs of residents first, promotes participation and citizen empowerment and 'stresses technology as a tool to use predominantly in service of citizens'. The chapter draws on fieldwork conducted between August 2014 and October 2017 involving seven site visits and 20 semi-structured interviews with 21 stakeholders. To ensure a diversity of perspectives, respondents included planners and project actors from local government, private enterprises, universities, non-profits and resident groups.
