TOKYO: Osaka has topped a list of powerful Japanese cities for the fourth straight year, an affiliate of real estate developer Mori Building Co. said Wednesday.

The western city was followed by Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, and Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, in the 2024 “power cities” rankings compiled by the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies.

A total of 136 major cities in Japan were rated by 87 indicators in six categories such as economy, culture, and livability. Tokyo’s densely populated 23 special wards were rated separately.

Osaka stayed top thanks to high scores in economy and accessibility. It was also rated high for education and child care benefits for households, an area that joined the indicators this year.

Nagoya rose by one notch to second as its scores improved over city accessibility, ease of integration for foreign residents and medical cost aid for children.

Kyoto in western Japan ranked fourth, and the southwestern city of Fukuoka fifth.

Hiroshima in the western region rose by four notches to 10th, backed by high scores in indicators linked to the environment. Tsukuba in the eastern prefecture of Ibaraki rose to eighth from 11th.

Among Tokyo’s 23 wards, Minato unseated Chiyoda from the top slot, receiving high ratings in the cultural interactions category.

JIJI Press