Race for a back-up capital

City lights in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on Dec 10, 2025. Japan’s legislature recently passed a Bill to create a secondary capital that would serve as an alternate centre for the government’s operations, ensuring continuity in the case of a natural disaster or other emergency. The race is on to be second to Tokyo. — Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

FOR 158 years, Tokyo has stood as Japan’s glittering capital, a world-famous nexus of food, culture, business and government. But it might soon get an understudy.

Japan’s legislature recently passed a Bill to create a secondary capital that would serve as an alternate centre for the government’s operations, ensuring continuity in case of a natural disaster or other emergency.