Eksistensi SME di Pusat Kota

Dalam salah satu halaman METI (Kementrian Perdagangan dan Industri Jepang) disebut bahwa industri kecil-menengah atau chuushoukigyou atau secara umum banyak orang mengenal dengan SME (small medium enterprise) berperan sangat besar dalam ekonomi Jepang, termasuk tentunya ekonomi2 kotanya. SME ini menyumbang 99.7% kegiatan industri Jepang, menyedot sekitar 70% sektor tenaga kerja Jepang, dengan volume penjualan mencapai 40-60% dari keseluruhan industri. Dari hasil sensus industri  hampir yang mungkin sudah tidak valid ini (hampir 10 tahun lalu), jumlah SME yang bergerak dalam bidang retail adalah yang paling mendominasi, disusul oleh manufaktur, transport, dan konstruksi, lalu makanan/restoran, dan terakhir pergrosiran (wholesale).

Khusus menghadapi beberapa isu2 aktual seperti “aging community”, “environment degradation”, dan “local autonomy”, maka beberapa inovasi memang harus ditempuh. Salah satunya adalah menstimulasi pendirian2 SME baru yang inovatif di daerah2, seperti dikutip pada editorial Japan Times 25 April 2007. Tarjetnya akan ada 1000 perusahaan unik baru dalam jangka waktu 5 tahun ke depan. Rasanya target ini akan bisa terlampaui, jika melihat membudayanya gerakan OVOP (isson ippin atau one village one product) dan penggalian karakter2 lokal lainnya. Lihat saja jika jalan di eki atau stasiun lokal saja, akan banyak inovasi2 baru dalam produk makanan misalnya, mulai dari bentuk/rupa, kemasan, sampai bahan yang memang benar2 baru.

Dalam Buku Putih tentang SME yang diterbitkan rutin oleh METI pun secara terperinci disebutkan bagaimana peran dan keberadaan SME dalam masyarakat yang menua ini. Karakter SME yang masih banyak digarap secara turun temurun dalam beberapa generasi dan pengkondisian antara kerja dan menjadi orang tua (parenting) menjadi masalah yang diungkapkan perlu dipikirkan segera strategi ke depannya. Satu lagi yang menarik adalah mengembalikan keberadaan SME secara spasial di pusat2 kota. Di samping disebutkan untuk merevitalisasi banyak pusat kota yang ditinggal oleh usaha2 kelas besar, juga menciptakan lingkungan (pusat) kota sebagai wilayah yang mudah untuk beraktivitas (termasuk “makarya” atau bekerja), terutama bagi kaum manula  (kota kompak).

Ada 4 kebijakan eksplisit yang diusulkan untuk menarik bisnis ke pusat kota ini oleh METI, yakni “town attractiveness” yakni bisnis yang bisa menarik atraktivitas kota, seperti pariwisata dan pertukaran budaya, festival, even budaya, pengembangan panorama, kebersihan, dan keamanan kota. Yang kedua “lifestyle support” melalui bisnis yang membuat hidup dalam kota lebih nyaman (bagi manula, pengasuhan anak, layanan katering, bagi kesejahteraan masyarakat secara umum). Yang ketiga adalah “economic vitality” yakni bisnis yang mendorong tingkat aktivitas kota menjadi lebih optimal, lewat kegiatan2 semacam suport bagi ketenagakerjaan, “commercial incubators,” atau pun bisnis yang dikelola oleh manula atau pun para ibu rumah tangga. Dan yang keempat adalah kebijakan “transport and access” yang berisi bisnis yang mampu meningkatkan akses ke dalam pusat kota, misalnya dengan tour2 dalam kota atau jasa/inovasi transportasi lainnya. Tak bisa dipungkiri semua ini memerlukan konsistensi dari pemda untuk berinovasi mewujudkannya (contohnya adalah kasus di Kota Aomori yang kebetulan juga studi kasus MSR, dan Kota Nagano).

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Aomori City initiative to create a compact city under a local government-driven initiative. During the 30-year period from 1970 to 2000.

White Paper SME METI, Page 254

Aomori City’s urban area has sprawled outward. Not only have around a third of residents from the city center relocated to the suburbs, but the prefectural library, wholesale markets, and public facilities such as the Prefectural hospital have also been relocated to the suburbs. This has been accompanied by a rise in the total cost spent on infrastructure by the city to around ¥35 billion. It has also increased costs incurred for maintaining important infrastructure, such as snow-clearing costs. Furthermore, the city center has hollowed out, with traffic through shopping zones declining as much as 50%.

As a result, since 1998 the city has formulated a basic plan for revitalizing the city center and has worked on urban renewal by creating a “compact city” under the banner of “creating a walkable town.” An urban area dedevelopment project has seen the construction of a large complex called Auga in front of the station and the building of a city library, child-care, cultural center and other facilities within the complex. In addition, in order to ensure pedestrian space within the city center in wintertime, the city has installed a snow-melting system. As a result of initiatives like these, the city has come alive as traffic around the station has increased by 40%, with visitors from Akita and Hakodate, primarily young women, also coming to Auga and other shopping areas. Coupled with this, private real estate companies have scheduled the construction of 13 condominiums, containing around 860 apartments, for a five-year period starting in 2001. It is expected that this will increase the population of the city center by around 2,000.

The first reason for the city’s success is the continuation of consistent, strong leadership throughout, such as the mayor himself coming up with the compact city concept. The second reason is that, together with the administration, shopkeepers and a variety of interested parties have acknowledged their respective roles under the basic principle of a compact city, and have undertaken initiatives continuously. Among these, a “working force” made up of shopkeepers formulated a vision for a “disabled- and elderly person-friendly shopping district.” While comprising a variety of projects, their success is attributed to the fact that a committee was established to implement each project, made up solely of motivated participants.

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Revitalization through a virtuous circle where the establishment of a new shopping complex and urban functions generates shoppers, attracting further private investment

White Paper SME METI, Page 256

Revitalization initiatives have been undertaken in Nagano City because of the long-term downward trend in traffic accompanying the decline in population in the city center. However, the situation worsened in 2000 when the Daiei and Sogo department stores, situated in the center of the main street, closed their doors in quick succession.

In response to this situation, Nagano City formulated a new strategy aimed at revitalizing the city center. Under the city’s leadership, ties were strengthened between interested parties, particularly TMOs, and a town development company based on the joint public-private sector model was established to work on a project to create a hub with the aim of revitalizing the city center.

More specifically, the city purchased the former Daiei store in order to retain convenience for the residents of the city center and to bring back vitality. The building was tenanted by a food store and public facilities. Although it was forecast that the supermarket would operate in the red for a while, recognizing the importance of maintaining and providing convenience to those who lived in the city center as well as office workers in the surrounding area, the state and city provided subsidies for a three-year period. This proved successful, and soon afterward a succession of condominiums were located in the city center and the supermarket’s catchment area expanded. The head office of the local broadcasting network and specialty stores are also pursuing a redevelopment project using the site of the former Sogo department store.

In line with the increase in residents living in the city center, it has now become even more important to strengthen the city center’s commercial functions and enhance its attraction as a community. To this end, the town development company has acquired and renewed existing buildings, such as empty houses and the traditional warehouse in front of the gates to Zenko-ji Temple on the main street. It has also opened Patio Daimon, a commercial cluster targeting both increasing number of local residents and tourists. Here, it is promoting the concept of a town that makes you feel like you are on a short trip, a place where residents can enjoy a special day. One of the aims of Patio Daimon is to provide a place where shoppers and tourists are the stars of the show, which they cannot savor in large suburban stores, as well as for the elderly who will become the main users of central city facilities. In particular, by locating a European interior goods store, a bakerycafe, other trendy Western-style shops and bringing in restaurants and the like to an old Japanese-style building, it is a facility that proposes a lifestyle to the elderly of the future. This is having a knock-on effect, as other stores are setting up nearby, showing their approval for the Patio Daimon concept. These include not only those from the city, but also those such as an old Japanese confectionary store headquartered elsewhere in the prefecture, and a restaurant hosting wedding receptions.