In November 2025, the “Smart City Tokyo Bay Takeshiba” (Smart City Takeshiba) project was selected as a finalist in the Enabling Technologies category of the World Smart City Awards, an international recognition honoring the world’s most innovative cities and urban projects. The awards were presented during the Smart City Expo World Congress 2025, one of the world’s largest smart city exhibitions, held in Barcelona, Spain.
Led by Tokyu Land Corporation and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), and implemented by Takeshiba Area Management (a General Incorporated Association that includes public and private partners), Smart City Takeshiba integrates advanced technologies and urban functions across the 28-hectare Takeshiba district in Tokyo’s Minato Ward, where SoftBank’s headquarters is located. Out of 462 entries from 65 countries, approximately 30 projects were selected as finalists. Notably, Smart City Takeshiba was one of only a few projects from Japan to receive this distinction, and the first privately led project in Tokyo to be chosen.
The project was lauded for its data-driven area management, which leverages a real-time data distribution platform built from varied data collected in the Takeshiba area. Its initiatives to address local challenges, such as disaster preparedness, were highly evaluated, leading to its selection as a finalist. The project team from Tokyu Land Corporation and SoftBank attended the award ceremony in Barcelona.
Overview of Smart City Takeshiba initiatives
Minoru Hirachi, an Executive Operating Officer in charge of the Urban Development Division/Urban Business Unit at Tokyu Land Corporation, commented on the achievement:
Minoru Hirachi of Tokyu Land Corporation (center)
“We’re delighted our efforts to implement smart city initiatives through numerous demonstrations in Takeshiba have been recognized globally. The official Takeshiba Area Management LINE account, which leverages real-time data, has grown into a platform that delivers information on both local charms and disaster preparedness to about 30,000 people. We hope to expand the Takeshiba Model beyond this district to neighboring areas and regional cities facing similar challenges as a model case for enhancing urban value.”
Osamu Seki, Senior Director, Smart City Division at SoftBank’s Business Development Division, added:
(From left) Makoto Igarashi, Kosuke Urata, Osamu Seki, Yu Tsubouchi of SoftBank Corp.
“It’s been about six years since the Smart City Takeshiba project began, and we’re truly honored to receive such global recognition. We’ve been told that our continued focus on implementation and ongoing operation—rather than stopping at the pilot project stage—was highly evaluated. We’ll continue to move forward with our goal of full social implementation.”
The Project Awards at the World Smart City Awards comprise six categories, such as Governance & Economy and Mobility. Smart City Takeshiba was selected as a finalist in the Enabling Technology category, which honors practical and proven technologies that effectively solve urban challenges. Tokyu Land Corporation and SoftBank presented their track record in area management and initiatives addressing local issues, such as improving accessibility and disaster prevention. Ten evaluation criteria were covered: Innovation, Relevance, Impact, Citizen Engagement and Co-creation, Inclusivity, Feasibility, Replicability, Multi-stakeholder Collaboration, Soundness, and Excellence and relevance of achievements.
Real-time visualization of data in 3D
Resilience initiative that uses LINE messaging platform
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(Posted on December 18, 2025)
by SoftBank News Editors
