Osaka topped the list of powerful Japanese cities, excluding Tokyo, for the fifth consecutive year, a think tank affiliated with Mori Building, a Japanese real estate developer, said Tuesday.
Osaka stayed in first place thanks to high scores in the economy and for tourist attractions, as the city hosts the ongoing World Expo.
Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture was ranked second, the same as last year, according to the 2025 “power cities” rankings compiled by the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies.
The institute rated 136 major cities, excluding Tokyo’s densely populated 23 special wards, by 87 indicators across six categories, such as economy, culture and livability.
Fukuoka climbed to third place from fifth as its livability score increased, gaining high acclaim for the city’s support for medical expenses for children.
Sapporo in Hokkaido moved up from 13th to ninth place, backed by its comfortable living environment.
Among Tokyo’s 23 wards, which were rated separately, the top three rankings remained unchanged from a year earlier, with Minato in first place, Chiyoda in second and Chuo in third.
AloJapan.com