Ichinomiya sees a sudden drop in its future population and is seeking ways to collect the dispersed population using a two tier policy: 1) by drawing residents to the city hub; while 2) simultaneously maintaining the vitality of communities in the suburbs.  This concept named the “Compact City” is promoted by the Ministry of Infrastructure as a strategy that could hopefully reduce the fiscal budget by creating resource efficient consumption and behavioral patterns, facilitate healthy lifestyles, and create urban infrastructure that can adapt to changes in the age distribution and size of population.  Redevelopment of Ichinomiya central, the main station area, for one, has brought this hub back to life. The city’s center is thriving, and property values have risen. 

An attractive waterfront along the Kiso River is hoped to increasing the number of inbound visitors to the city.  The city seeks to utilize its cultural, historical and natural assets to the fullest.  Meanwhile, Ichinomiya seeks to contribute to the global initiative to counter climate change by embracing renewable energy and sustainable lifestyles.

Much of the suburban population will age resulting with a large number of deserted houses because the children of the owners will not choose to reside in their parents homes. This could lead to the destruction of old houses, and apartments, combined with an increase in neighborhood crimes, as well as a rise in the number of illegal waste disposals. The compact city strategy aims to counter this by improving living conditions and concentrating urban development to the city center while also improving public transport networks.

• CO₂ is reduced by 11.5 percent from 2015 levels in 2020.
• Renewables account for 12.2 percent of the energy mix in 2020.
• Energy consumption is reduced by 3.2 percent from 2015 levels in 2020.