JSURP is an independent organization. One of its objectives is to contribute to society through Machizukuri (Urban and Regional Community Renovation). Under this aim, diverse people such as urban and regional planners and people who are interested in Machizukuri, walking around town and so forth participate in JSURP. JSURP was established in 1994 as a voluntary association and, after 7 years of activities, became a Specified Nonprofit Organization in August 2001.

JSURP works for the enhancement of the public interest through the creation of a rich and sophisticated environment and culture. Toward this goal, JSURP implements many activities from various standpoints, such as mutual cooperation with institutions concerned, research and study on urban and regional renovation, edification, recommendation and support in various fields, and human resource development.

JSURP conducts the following activities and projects which relate to urban and regional planning:

1. Research and Study
2. Policy Recommendation
3. Edification and Dissemination
4. Support for and Cooperation with Action Groups
5. Cultivation and Training of Human Resources
6. Research and Social Establishment on Professional Ability
7. International Exchange
8. Transmission of Information

From Hokkaido to Okinawa, about 620 nationwide members who have an interest in urban and regional renovation, such as Planners, Researchers, Educators, Producers, Journalists, Governmental Officers, Housewives, and Students, participate in JSURP.

Anybody, professional planners and non-professionals alike, who has an interest in Machizukuri can join JSURP.
JSURP is looking forward to your participation.

A Specialized Non Profit Organization is an organization collaborating with people who wish to contribute toward the creation of better communities without seeking rewards.

Our NPO, the Japan Society of Urban and Regional Planners, hopes to make towns (cities and their surrounding areas) that are places where people live, work and enjoy, as safe, comfortable and beautiful areas. The nationwide network of people who act for that purpose participate in JSURP.

Creating a better community is called Machizukuri and, in official terms, Machizukuri is "Urban Planning." Machizukuri is not something to let only the government or experts deal with. When all people who live and work in a place tackle the issues there as their own, the community will transform into a better one.

The members of JSURP hope to be helpful and act towards building, reforming, conserving and nurturing 21st century communities, which have to deal with many issues, in Japan and around the world. JSURP welcomes anybody who loves communities, such as experts of urban planning, people who implement Machizukuri, live in towns and love walking in town. JSURP is waiting for your support, contribution and participation.

For a drastic revision of City Planning Act, JSURP advices policy recommendations on how urban planning should function in 21st century Japan. So far, JSURP has presented recommendations on the direction of legal revisions in urban planning, the role of land-use control in urban and agricultural communities, the role of municipal mergers and urban planning and so forth.

JSURP invites people who live or work in places, or visit them, to use their ingenuity collaborate, and implement activities for the creation of attractive spaces and rich culture. JSURP selects activities that have excellent content and supports the advancement of such activities by presenting the JSURP Award (testimonial and prize money) to selected Machizukuri activities.

JSURP receives questions from and gives counseling to the public concerning the issues or functions of Machizukuri. Members who have detailed knowledge of the concerned field will respond.

Please feel free to contact the Japan Society of Urban and Regional Planning Office.

Towards resolving regional problems, Machizukuri Planning Aid is the activity by which JSURP supports Machizukuri Planning, including research and surveys, implementation of events and presentation of recommendations. JSURP gives advice on the contents of planning, dispatches people who may be necessary to implement the plan and grants a part of the implementation fee. Please feel free to inquire about such aid.

JSURP promotes personnel exchange through Machizukuri activities, such as inviting lecturers who are experts in certain fields, excursions to the places where Machizukuri is being actively implemented and organizing workshops at there, e.g. Obuse-cho,, Yamagata-shi and Yanagawa-shi.

JSURP utilizes its diverse human resources as lecturers and implements Machizukuri Training. JSURP conducts set of urban planning seminars, which are called the Machizukuri Frontline Series, put on by the most excellent lecturers whose areas of expertise are land-use, disaster prevention and so forth.

Each member who wishes sets up a study group based on his or her own interests and carries out an independent study group. These groups hold free discussions, lectures by invited lecturer, symposiums and excursions. Members conduct various activities and non-JSURP members can participate at the open seminars. Please refer to the JSURP website for the contents of each workshop and the dates of conferences.

• Study Group on the Netherlands Urban Planning
• Study Group on Machi-Naka (City Central Areas)
• Study Group on Machizukuri Bicycle Utilization
• Study Group on Issues on Land Readjustment Projects
• Study Group on Administrative Litigation
• Study Group on Improvement and Vitalization of City Centers
• Study Group on Roofscapes
• Study Group on Utsukushii Machizukuri (Beautiful Town Developments) -Beautiful Town-development, starts from Fukuoka Commons Development
• Study Group on Intermediate and Mountainous Area Regeneration Plans
• Study Group on City Planning Commission Watch Net
• Study Group on Metropolitan Area Earthquake Epicenter: Ground Design for Reconstruction
• Study Group on Urban Planning in Suburban Areas
• Study Group on Town-Walking Tourism Business
• Exploring-Group for Sustainable Funds

With the changes in the social economy, it will be challenging to determine the direction of urban and area planning in the future and leaders' roles of leaders. In addition to research on desirable urban and area designing systems and needed diverse expertise in the future, partnering with institutions concerned, JSURP clarifies the role of specialists to meet these challenges.

JSURP supports the Secretariat of Zenkoku Rojinomachi Renraku Kyogikai (ZRRK). ZRRK researches desirable conditions for secure and pleasant alley environments and communities, as well as ways of utilizing, preserving and revitalizing alley spaces in the central cities through aligning and exchanging information between towns with alleys across the nation. Also, ZRRK conducts activities which effectively utilizes research findings.

JSURP focuses on "beauty" as a sense of value which the public can share. For revitalizing and creating Japanese beautiful scenery, JSURP holds symposiums in various parts of the nation with the theme of "Beautiful Machizukuri: Japan." Also, in cooperation with the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, JSURP has developed an assessment program on beautiful Machizukuri for local shopping areas and is dispatching assessors who conduct investigations to objectively grade the beauty of shopping areas. In addition to this�Ain cooperation with Roof Wall Technical Association, JSURP does research on roofscapes and keeps the contests of this research.

Based on the idea that mutual cooperation and information exchange of the grass-roots Machizukuri activities are important, the Urban Regeneration Machizukuri Conference was established. Once a year, the national conference is held in order to give grass-root Machizukuri groups around the nation a chance to cooperate mutually and exchange and transmit their information. In 2008, it was decided that local and urban cities would take turns holding the conference, that the name would be modified as Zenkoku Machizukuri Kaigi (National Machizukuri Conference) and that JSURP would organize and hold the conference as its main business.

On October 4-5, 2008, a 2 day, 2008 Zenkoku Machizukuri Kaigi Conference was held at the Eniwa Research Business Park in Eniwa-shi, Hokkaido. A total of 1000 people and 48 groups attended the conference. From JSURP, 9 study groups and some branches made presentations. Many events and gatherings, including 3 participatant group gatherings, 3 symposiums, 9 theme-specified gatherings and a Machizukuri training, were held at the conference.

The Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake, which occurred in October of 2004, forced all of the residents of the affected villages, where aging and depopulation has steadily progressed, to temporarily leave their villages. As a result, damage was incurred which destroyed regions, industries and the structures of living. Planners and architects who were distressed by the quake disaster gathered and, taking advantage of their vocational skills in recovering areas, launched Earthquake Disaster Reconstruction Planning Aid for Mid Niigata Prefecture in order to support reconstruction of the area. Now, the aid centers around support for Oguni-machi Hosue Village, with old farm house research, Kagura Nanban product development, PC training sessions for villagers, and so forth being conducted by JSURP in conjunction with UIFA JAPON's disaster restoration watch team.

Quarterly Journal "Planners"

JSURP publishes quarterly journal "Planners" in which JSURP and non-JSURP experts and citizens write on timely themes.

Newsletter, Internet

JSURP distributes new information and a variety of news on Machizukuri to members through the quarterly Journal, monthly newsletter, daily e-mail and internet website.

Publication on Machizukuri

"New Land-Use Strategy for Urban and Agricultural Villages - Explore the Possibility of a Modified Land-use Zoning System" compiled by JSURP

Published by Gakugei Publishing Price 3675yen Special member price 2940yen

In August, 1999, the JSURP members who mainly work in Hokkaido founded the Hokkaido Branch as the first branch of JSURP, and the branch has started its own activities. The members of the Hokkaido Branch include experts in various fields, from colleges, public-interest corporations, think tanks and consultants, who actively tackle specific urban and regional issues at the private sector level. They gather privately and invite urban planners (in the broad sense of the word) as well as people who agree with the group's purpose.

Starting from the JSURP Hamamatsu Urban Planning Caravan in 2001, the JSURP members who mainly work and are engaged in many activities in Shizuoka Prefecture founded the Hamamatsu Branch in 2004. The Branch became the core for the Shizuoka area and, in June 2006, it became the Shizuoka Branch, whose objective was to serve the whole Shizuoka area. Since then, in partnership with the Hamamatsu Community Design Center, the Shizuoka Branch is actively involved in Machizukuri activities where citizens participate.

In February 2005, the Yokohama Branch, which has become the core for activities in the Kanagawa area, was founded. In June 2005, the Yokohama Branch organized the symposium "Do grassroots cover the earth with green? Leaders of Machizukuri." The branch carries out consulting services on citizen's Machizukuri activities as well as participate in the Kannai Regeneration Design Group, which is based on a common vision for concerned parties and includs land and building owners in that area. This group tackles Machizukuri, such as the creation of images for the future, development policy and guidelines, in the Yokohama Kannai area.

The Kansai Branch was founded in October 2006 by Machizukuri activists who mainly work in Kansai. The branch tries to cooperate with experts and people who are engaged in Machizukuri from the fields of civil engineering, architecture, landscaping, economics and history at many academic societies which have an interest in urban planning. At the same time, the branch plans to disseminate new initiatives and recommendations for urban planning in the spirit by which Kansai is creating a regional model. Please keep an eye on developments of this branch, where urban planners from the whole nation get together. The branch looks forward your participation.

Since 2003, the Fukuoka Branch has implemented workshops on themes which are rooted in this area and has held area development symposiums with members in Fukuoka. In December 2008, the Fukuoka Branch, which has become the core for activities in the Fukuoka area, was founded. Since then, it has implemented many activities, such as workshops for urban planning, Machizukuri seminars, and Machizukuri advice to citizens. In the future, seeking more active partnership with universities and surrounding locales, the branch wishes to disseminate information on the passionate activities that experts, young people and community members are actively involved with.

Anybody who is interested in community renovation, agrees on the objectives of JSURP and wishes to contribute to society with community renovation can join JSURP (NPO).

JSURP offers fresh and updated information on community renovation to the members through PLANNERS (the quarterly journal), newsletters (monthly), daily e-mail news and the internet website.

JSURP informs members of many events, such as notification of the JSURP Award, Machizukuri Support, Workshops, Symposiums, Discussion Forums, and Excursions in advance. Please actively participate in or help out with these events. Depending on the contents of the event, JSURP may grant a participant's transportation fee and other compensation.

• Full Members: 378
• Lifetime Members: 8
• Student Members: 11
• Individual Supporting Members: 222
• Supporting Group Members: 9

• Full Member: 30,000yen
• Student Member: 5,000yen
• Individual Supporting Member: 10,000yen
• Supporting Group Member: 100,000yen

Please download the application form from the JSURP website. Fill in the form and send it via Fax or email to the Tokyo office. Upon request, the Tokyo office will send the application form via postal mail, so please do not hesitate to contact JSURP.