The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, the Urban Renaissance Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will further strengthen their cooperation in the areas of housing and urban policies. On July 7, Minister Tetsuo Saito, Urban Renaissance Agency President Masahiro Nakajima and HUD Secretary Marsha Fudge signed a memorandum of understanding in Takamatsu City. They will conduct joint research on topics such as housing policies for the elderly and water-related disaster preparedness. Analytical research reports will be prepared and seminars will be held to improve related policies.

In the joint research, they will explore the possibilities of "aging in place," where the elderly spend their retirement years in their own neighborhoods, as well as housing policies and urban planning for community development for the elderly. Ways to create inclusive cities through the provision of affordable housing and the development of public spaces will also be explored. Research on "green infrastructure", which uses natural resources for disaster prevention and effective measures for carbon neutrality and disaster preparedness will be analyzed. They will also study measures to use digital technology in urban management, such as smart cities, as well as effective public-private partnerships to realize each research theme. (2023/07/13)