Building Up a Common Recognition of City Development in the Southern Part of Kofu Basin under the Initiative of Knowledge Brokers with the Cooperation of Experts

Extreme weather caused by global warming has caused an increase in the number and intensity of heavy rain disasters. Almost half the area of the Kofu Basin, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, is expected to be flooded by the largest expected rainfall in the basin. Approximately 310,000 people live in the inundation area, and the formulation of a wide-area evacuation plan in the event of a flood is an urgent issue. In the southern part of this area, where the estimated inundation depth is 5-10 m, a new station of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen Line, which will start operation in 2027, is planned, and urban development centered on the station is expected. In order to build a sustainable city that is resilient to floods in such a flood hazard area, the author established a study group on urban development consisting of knowledge brokers-professors at University of Yamanashi-and experts with the participation of local government observers. The group has proposed a future image of sustainable Kofu Basin under the initiative of knowledge brokers with the cooperation of experts. The group attempted to put into practice the concept of sustainable cities presented by the author. As a result, by the unusual town development activities of the study group, perspective drawings that provide the participants a common recognition of the city development were successfully created.