The Future Of The East Asian Cities

Joel Kotkin consider whether the world's largest cities in East Asia have hit their growth limits.

1 minute read

December 7, 2004, 9:00 AM PST

Four of the world's largest metropolitan areas Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo are [in East Asia], as well as eight of the 10 tallest buildings... The effects of sudden affluence and extremely high population densities three or more times greater than New York have undermined the Confucian values that were the foundation of these cities.

...Despite their remarkable successes, however, the future of East Asian cities is not promising. The prolonged emptying-out of rural villages and small towns has eroded the family-oriented Confucian value system that animated first-generation migrants to the city.

At the same time, the soaring price of land has eliminated the hope for all but a few of acquiring anything spacier than a cramped apartment. Private homes have been replaced by huge complexes of high-rise apartments, some located an hour or two from the city center. Blocks of suburban apartments can extend as far as 50 miles from historic cores."

Thanks to Chris Steins

FULL STORY: Sizzle to Fizzle

Tuesday, December 7, 2004 in The Los Angeles Times

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