As a leading municipality in addressing the SDGs, Toshima City was the first municipality in Tokyo to be double-selected as an "SDGs Future City" and "Municipal SDGs Model Project" (*) for FY2020. Through the promotion of the SDGs by taking advantage of the city's unique characteristics, the city will realize its vision of becoming an "International City of Arts and Culture".
*The national government has indicated that it is important to promote efforts by local governments to achieve the SDGs in order to create sustainable cities with a medium- to long-term perspective. In order to build a model of Japan's SDGs in the field of local development, excellent efforts by local governments to achieve the SDGs are selected as "SDGs Future Cities" and particularly leading efforts are selected as "Municipal SDGs Model Projects”.

Overview of Toshima City, the SDGs Future City
In May 2014, Toshima City was listed by the Council for the Creation of Japan as the only one of the 23 special wards in Tokyo that has the risk of vanishing.
In order to break out of this crisis, the city has further developed its existing culture-based city planning, aiming to become an "international art and culture city" where everyone can play a leading role, with culture as a central axis of sustainable development.
In a safe and secure urban space, everyone can enjoy each other's diverse cultures and develop city planning with the imagination and creativity of culture. In this way, the city has vigorously promoted each of its policies to date, aiming to create a virtuous cycle that attracts people from all over the world and attracts people and industries to the city. Specific examples of initiatives and achievements include the achievement of zero waiting list for child care, community development through public-private partnerships as represented by the construction of a new city hall building and the use of the site of the old city hall, and the hosting of the international cultural exchange project " Culture City of East Asia 2019, Toshima” .

In the process of overcoming the "vanishing cities," a series of efforts to become a city of sustainable development are in line with the SDGs, which are based on the principle of "no one is left behind" . Therefore, this city was selected as an "SDG Future City" .

To ensure the sustainable provision of quality services even in a society with a declining population, the city government will be developed in a comprehensive manner through collaboration with diverse entities, making the most of local resources and characteristics. The city will also promote international cultural exchange to enhance the attractiveness of the city. This will increase the number of people who want to live, visit, and continue to live in the city, develop the local economy, and return the tax revenue to the services provided to the residents, thereby creating a virtuous cycle. In this way, sustainable urban development based on culture is the characteristic of the "Toshima City, the SDGs City of the Future".

Outline of Toshima City's "Municipal SDGs Model Project"
The "Urban Development with Four Parks Around Ikebukuro Station at its Core" will utilize initiatives at four distinctive parks and the IKEBUS electric bus that connects them.
The project will work on "community development with parks at its core" as a model project to create a virtuous cycle by linking economy, society, and environment, which are the three aspects of the SDGs. Public and private sectors will work together to expand the appeal of the area to the entire town and improve circulation around Ikebukuro Station through park management by area management organizations, a system whereby park revenues are returned to operating expenses such as lawn care costs, and collaboration with IKEBUS supporter companies and other businesses in the area. To serve as a model for large cities and high-density cities, we will create a " City that is fun to walk through" where people can experience the four seasons within the city.
As a distinctive initiative in the four parks, the Toshima Green Disaster Prevention Park (commonly known as Ike Sun Park) holds a "Farmer's Market" every weekend.
Various stores from approximately 90 exchange cities of the city and stores in the city exhibit their products and services to revitalize the local community through exchanges with local cities and by improving the quality of life for all kinds of people, including stores, city residents, and visitors to the city.This project has created a virtuous cycle of economic, social, and environmental benefits, including economic revitalization through improved community circulation, environmental friendliness by encouraging visitors to ride IKEBUS and use their own bags, the creation of a new daily routine for local residents by holding the event every weekend, and the purchase of surplus food to be donated to a children's cafeteria in the city.

Promoting the SDGs by all city departments
All departments are working on the SDGs, not limited to the Municipal SDGs Model Project. This has led to the brushing up of the content of each project and the strengthening of communications, etc., and has helped to raise awareness of the SDGs among residents and visitors, and to create momentum for working together on the SDGs. For example , in education, all elementary and junior high schools in the city learn about the SDGs as part of the "Project to Nurture Leaders for Achieving the SDGs" . In addition, the entire city government is taking on the challenge of creating a sustainable community through the SDGs by implementing the "Toshima Support Project for Children and Youth" which connects people who want to support children with those who need support and expands the circle of support throughout the community, and purchasing SDG bonds, the use of which is limited to the use of funds that contribute to solving social issues.
In April 2022, the "Toshima City Basic Plan" the city's top-level plan, was revised with the SDGs at its core.

"All of Toshima" is committed to the SDGs
In October 2020, Toshima City enacted the "Toshima SDGs City Declaration" in order to promote community development based on the principles of the SDGs through public-private partnership. In order to promote the SDGs as a personal matter to all residents, companies, and organizations in the city, we are engaged in various activities to spread awareness of the SDGs.
In particular, in order to take action on the SDGs through familiar activities, we have created the "Toshima SDGs Challenge Book" and published a special Toshima SDGs website, "Toshima SDGs Action! " is now available to the public.

The special website introduces the SDGs in our daily lives through "people" who are engaged in various activities in the city. We hope that everyone will learn how their everyday steps and efforts contribute to the SDGs, and together we can create the future of the city.

Toshima SDGs website, "Toshima SDGs Action!” (Japanese only)
https://www.toshima-sdgs.jp/


"Toshima SDGs Challenge Book" (Japanese only)
https://www.city.toshima.lg.jp/toshimanow/sdgs/documents/toshima_sdgs_challengebook.pdf