Tokyo's High Population Density

Tokyo is a mega city in Japan having a population of 38 million people as a whole. Tokyo alone has a about 13 million people, but integrating other prefectures (small district areas) such as Kanagawa, Osaka and many others makes it have 38 million people and named The Greater Tokyo, the highest city population in the world. The population density is about 6200 per sq, km. Tokyo's population continues to increase rather than declining. In 1995, 9.2% of Japan's population lives in Tokyo and 10.1% of Japan lives in Tokyo by 2015.

Causes

• High economic activity
• Variety of jobs and opportunities. Home to big companies such as Fujifilm & Cannon
• Abundant schools & colleges
• Entertainment

Problems

• Overcrowding
• Busiest peak hours. The Shinjuku train station is used by about 3 million people per day making it one of the busiest and crowded train station in the world.
• Housing problems with people living in small apartments
• Expensive rent and housing
• Expensive house yards due to space shortages. It is usually rare to find a typical yard with a garden, backyard, etc because of expenses and space shortages.
• A high ageing population and a declining birth rate.
• Water pollution and water shortages
• Garbage disposal problems due to space shortages result in garbage incineration causing dioxin, a highly toxic gas.
• Air pollution and smogs from industrial gases, vehicles and domestic houses
• Thousands are affected by frequent natural hazards such as typhoons and earthquakes.

High traffic volume in Tokyo; img source

Solutions and Measures

• Decentralisation by removing businesses to other less crowded areas. This is a proposed solution and hasn't been implemented yet, but can alleviate overcrowding in Tokyo.
• Established a Super Eco treatment and recycling facility
• Although housing problems are common, no slums are found in Tokyo compared to other cities such as Delhi. High storey buildings are able to accommodate thousands of people in Tokyo although the apartments are small.
• Established subway systems and aerial railways to ease ground congestion.
• Train directors work around the clock monitoring the functioning of the Shinjuku station and ensuring passengers are not late.
• Train frequency is high with a new train arriving almost every 3 minutes
• Established high road networks to ease transportation

Sources
http://tokyocharacteristics.weebly.com/problems-facing-the-city.html
https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0002533/