Japan opens the race to host a backup capital in case Tokyo is hit

Japan has opened applications for a backup capital that could run the government if a quake or a Mount Fuji eruption hits Tokyo. Big cities are fighting for it.

10 Nov 2026, 23:351 min read

Aerial view of the Tokyo skyline at dusk with Mount Fuji rising in the distance. — Image: Le Monde

What if Tokyo, home to the government and the country's economic engine, were suddenly knocked out? Japan is preparing for exactly that. On 30 October, the government opened applications for a "backup capital": a second city able to take over the essential functions of government in a disaster.

The worry is real. Tokyo could be struck by a major earthquake and by an eruption of Mount Fuji. In December 2025, a government panel updated its damage estimates for both scenarios, underlining how exposed the capital's functions are.

The idea has been moving for a while. In June 2025, Japan passed a law setting up a framework for backup capital functions.

Now the money is the story. The investments at stake are large, and big cities are competing hard to be chosen. Applications are only just open, so the race is on.

#japan#tokyo#backup capital#earthquake#mount fuji#disaster preparedness

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