Japan
Tokyo
UMR Index Rank
#18
(-2)
Score: 61%
Sustainable Mobility
#24
(-7)
Score: 57.5%
Public Transit
#10
(+1)
Score: 64.2%
Technology Adoption
#21
Score: 49.2%
| Population | 37.5 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 2,191 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 17,093 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 50,245 |
UMR Index Rank
#18
(-2)
Score: 61%
Sustainable Mobility
#24
(-7)
Score: 57.5%
Public Transit
#10
(+1)
Score: 64.2%
Technology Adoption
#21
Score: 49.2%
What Tokyo Does Well In Urban Mobility
An efficient, punctual, diverse, and safe public transit system helps Tokyo rank 18th in the Urban Mobility Readiness Index and fourth in the Asia-Pacific region. The city is among the world’s leaders in public transit, ranking 10th in the Public Transit sub-index.
Tokyo’s extensive urban rail network connects to city buses, trams, monorails, and national high-speed bullet trains. The city reportedly has plans to build a new rail line for ¥500 billion ($3.6 billion) that would extend from its waterfront area to the city center by 2040. The city is also testing a 12-language communication system to improve the public transit offering for non-Japanese speakers, with the rollout starting in 2024.
Despite a slight increase in road fatalities from 2023 to 2024, Tokyo remains among the index’s leaders in road safety. Tokyo is also the city with the lowest number of road traffic fatalities per capita in the Asia-Pacific region. City authorities diligently enforce traffic laws, restrict street parking, and conduct public awareness campaigns.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Tokyo’s Transportation System
The charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) in Tokyo remains underdeveloped compared with the index’s top-performing cities. In 2023 the Japanese government decided to install 300,000 charging points by 2030, with an interim goal of installing 1,000 rapid EV chargers by 2026. To support the installation of public charging points, the city also provides subsidies for several locations. However, some companies have complained about lengthy delays in receiving permission for high-voltage power.
Despite relatively good cycling adoption among residents, the city’s cycling infrastructure is underdeveloped relative to other Asian metropolises such as Seoul or Singapore. This is partly due to its large surface area. However, the city is investing heavily in cycling initiatives. In 2024 alone, Tokyo reportedly invested around ¥6.1 billion ($40 million) in cycling projects, ranging from education and awareness campaigns to infrastructure investments. The city aims to expand its cycle network by 50% to more than 600 kilometers (373 miles) by 2030.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Tokyo Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Japan’s government has announced that by 2035 all new vehicle sales will be EVs, hybrids, or hydrogen-powered. Despite this commitment and growing EV sales year-on- year, Tokyo is still lagging far behind regional peers such as Shanghai. To meet its ambitions Tokyo can expand its existing EV and charger installation subsidy programs and provide more tax breaks, registration fee exemptions, toll exemptions, or special access lanes to encourage residents to purchase EVs.
Tokyo’s electricity remains carbon-intensive, lagging behind top cities that are leveraging more renewable energy. The city’s 2023 Sustainability Plan sets goals for the share of electricity consumption from renewable sources to rise from under 20% in 2020 to approximately 30% in 2026, and up to 50% by 2030. The plan outlines actions such as the mandatory installation of solar panels on new residential and large-scale buildings starting in April 2025. The city can further accelerate the green transition by implementing energy monitoring technologies to reduce overall electricity consumption and by encouraging active mobility modes such as cycling and walking. Promoting cleaner electricity is critical if the city wants to succeed in using electrification as part of its green transition.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley