Planningxchange

In PX120 our guest is Assistant Professor Akane Bessho, Ph.D of the Housing and Urban Analysis Laboratory, Department of Engineering, The University of Tokyo.  Information about Akane’s work is at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Akane-Bessho-2 and her website is: https://www.akanebessho.com Akane has a wide range of research projects and in the field work including those that seek to reverse depopulation in Japan’s rural areas, assisting people with disabilities in the agricultural sector (see for example Coco Farm & Winery (https://cocowine.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cocofaw-pr-eng.pdf), new approaches to food production and creating community gardens designed to aid those with dementia.  Akane describes her faculty at the the Tokyo University and the excellent work it produces. The students are highly motivated and create highly innovative urban projects. Details at https://www.due.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/english/ The interview discusses many issues confronting Japanese society. From this we can dra