Takashi Namba (Mayor of Shizuoka City) and Christopher Pablo (TDLC Team Leader)
Shizuoka City is conveniently located about an hour from Tokyo by bullet train, offering not only a magnificent view of Mount Fuji, but also a rich culinary culture featuring fragrant green tea and fresh seafood from nearby waters. It is also a city with a long history, known worldwide as the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was featured in a popular TV drama series.
In terms of urban development, the city has significant experience and knowledge in flood control. The Tomoe River, which flows through the city's flatlands, has a gentle slope and low flow capacity, making it prone to flooding during heavy rains. This has resulted in severe flooding in the river basin, where many people live. The city has been working on flood control measures, such as constructing floodways and floodplains, for many years and has successfully minimized damage. In March 2025, the Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) held a Technical Deep Dive on Urban Flood Management, where the city introduced its flood control measures.
To explore further partnership opportunities, on April 30, 2025, the TDLC visited Shizuoka City and met with Mayor Takashi Namba, Deputy Mayor Takai Oishi, Deputy Mayor Nobuhiro Yoshida, and other senior officials. Mayor Namba expressed a positive attitude toward further collaborations with TDLC, noting that Shizuoka City's population of 700,000 is well-balanced and that the city is a government-designated city responsible for both policy making and implementation, making it a good reference for World Bank clients countries. In discussions with Deputy Mayors Oishi and Yoshida, the TDLC exchanged views on more specific areas of cooperation, including flood control measures and other areas where the city can provide expertise.
Meeting with Shizuoka City officials
In addition to meeting with the mayor and other officials, TDLC visited the Oyagawa Drainage Ditch, the Asahata flood-control basin, which serves as a recreational public space for citizens, and flood control measures utilizing the moat of Sumpu Castle Park in the city center and the schoolyard of an elementary school. The city’s flood control measures have been implemented not only through physical infrastructure but also through cooperation with the prefecture level, the private sector, and citizens.
Mayor Namba points out the importance of gaining “Empathy” from various stakeholders, as well as Evidence in EBPM (Evidence-based Policy Making), which has been applied to the city's flood control measures. With its empathy-based livable city development, Shizuoka City is expected to contribute further to TDLC's knowledge-sharing activities.
A simple method controls floods in Oyagawa Drainage Ditch
Public Park in Asahata flood control basin is a beautiful relaxation space for residents
Sumpu castle moat is also used for flood control