Tokyo is promoting the elimination of utility poles by burying power lines on roads underground and eliminating utility poles in order to strengthen urban disaster prevention functions, ensure safe and comfortable pedestrian spaces, and create a beautiful urban landscape.
We are pleased to announce that we have finalized the guidelines for the next Tokyo Utility Pole Elimination Plan, which will further promote our efforts to date as part of our preparations for natural disasters, such as the imminent earthquake directly beneath the capital and increasingly severe typhoons.
Based on this policy, we will revise the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Utility Pole Elimination Plan for the next five years starting from FY2026, and further accelerate efforts to eliminate utility poles in prefectural roads, port roads, ward and city roads, urban development, and other areas, including island areas, with the aim of realizing a safe, secure, and attractive Tokyo.

1　Contents of the next Tokyo Utility Pole Elimination Plan

Policy

• In light of the social background of increasing disaster risks, we are strongly promoting the removal of utility poles to “defend the capital”

Key points of the revision

• （1）Expanding the priority development area to the Route 8 Loop Line and strengthening access to disaster prevention centers
• （2）Promoting digital transformation and simultaneous construction to improve efficiency and speed
• （3）Further strengthening island regions
• （4）Strengthening cooperation and support with wards, cities, towns and villages, and expanding the ban on new utility pole construction
• （5）Ordinance to promote the removal of utility poles in residential development enacted

2　Announcement

The full text can be downloaded from the Construction Bureau website.

This project is an initiative to promote the “Tokyo 2050 Strategy.”
Strategy 21: Strengthening the city: “Realizing a safe and secure Tokyo without utility poles”
Strategy 25: Tama and Islands: “Disaster prevention measures based on regional issues”

Contact: (Matters related to removing utility poles on metropolitan roads, support for municipal roads, digital transformation, and technology development) Safety Facilities Division, Road Management Department, Bureau of Construction Phone: 03-5320-5305 (Matters related to the elimination of utility poles in urban development) Planning Division, Urban Development Department, Urban Development Bureau Phone: 03-5320-5121 (Matters related to eliminating utility poles in residential development) Urban Development Bureau, Urban Development Department, Land Readjustment Division Phone: 03-5320-5140 (Matters related to removing utility poles from port roads, etc.) Planning Division, Port Development Department, Port and Harbor Bureau Phone: 03-5320-5612 (Regarding the removal of utility poles from ports and airports in island regions) Planning Division, Remote Islands and Ports Department, Bureau of Ports and Harbors Phone: 03-5320-5660