Urban digital twins recreate real cities in 3D space and are attracting attention as platforms that integrate and analyze diverse data to support decision-making. The article provides details on initiatives in Japan and overseas and the expansion of data integration through the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's demonstration project.
Digital twins recreate terrain, buildings and roads in three dimensions, integrating people-flow and vehicle data with imagery to visualize and analyze urban conditions. They are expected to support future decision-making in areas such as disaster preparedness, transportation and urban planning.
In Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is promoting its Digital Twin Realization Project, centered on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's PLATEAU initiative. By linking data across domains, it aims to enable policy planning that spans multiple fields. Mitsubishi Research Institute has supported the project by developing a data integration platform and 3D viewer and testing the use of real-time data.
International examples include Singapore's Virtual Singapore, Helsinki's Energy and Climate Atlas, and the NSW Spatial Digital Twin. Urban digital twins share the common objective of linking data to policymaking and the resolution of social issues. The author emphasizes the importance of using data and supporting decision-making beyond visualization and plans to examine the relevant conditions and challenges in Part 2.