Rising of Yokohama, Keihanna, Kitakyushu, and Toyota Smart Cities in the Land of the Rising Sun

Quality of Life (QoL) in the cities of Japan is slowly deteriorating because of several factors including high global migration, urban densities, pollution, crime, and government inefficacy. In addition, the inability to meet the high demands for public utilities by the city government officials exacerbates the situation. Hence, through the development of advanced Internet of Things (IoT ) and new business models, corporate giants like Hitachi, Toyota, Cisco, International Business Machines (IBM), Microsoft , Nippon, and Accenture are looking into new urban solutions such as development of Smart Cities to resolve the related urban issues. The objectives of building a Smart City are to provide improved Quality of Life (QoL), economic development, environmental balance, and efficient governance. These cities are the nodal points for civic services like security, health care, electric power, potable water, good houses, and good administration. Hence, the emphasis of smart cities is on 24 × 7 urban operational efficiency and the ease of citizens’ life. In this light, this chapter discusses 360° views of global smart city projects with respect to connotation, designing, deployment of IoT, and other sustainable approaches for a better urban life. By way of studying existing models, this chapter also explores four Smart City projects in Japan including Yokohama, Keihanna Eco City, Kitakyushu, and Toyota Smart City.