In a recent article for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Haley & Aldrich urban planner Sarah Sieloff and co-author Dr. Fernando Ortiz-Moya discuss how Japan’s cities are preparing transportation and other infrastructure to meet the needs of an older population.
“In an aging world, demographic resilience is a shared goal across cities and countries, and learning through peer exchange is critical,” they write. “Japan, which is facing more rapid and advanced social aging, can provide a useful point of reference for local governments worldwide facing similar challenges.”
Sarah and Fernando explore how Japan’s population centers have begun to reimagine transit, housing, and other services, noting that “how (and whether) older adults can move through their communities shapes their access to care, essential services, and social connection.” They focus on Toyama City’s efforts to concentrate essential services along transit lines as a case study for one solution to the challenges older residents face.
The article is the first of a three-part series planned for summer 2026. The second installment will focus on resilience, disasters, and small communities, and the third will delve into how small communities can thrive and foster economic development.
Read “Mobility infrastructure for an aging population: lessons from Japan.”
