In Japan about 80% of people were rice farmers, the rice production increased steadily, and as a result, the prosperity increased. In 1800 Japan faced a high level of the commercialization. More and more villages were engaged in the national economy. Rich farmers began to grow high-profit commercial crops and were engaged in trade, manufacturing, and money-lending. Some wealthy merchants sought higher social status. In 1868, the fifteen-year old Emperor Meiji moved from Kyoto to Edo, and after that the expansion of Japan’s industrial base began. During the 1920s Japan experienced the growth of industries, and as a result there was an increased demand for workers. Japan’s workers came to work in these industries, and one-quarter of them lived in cities.
The urbanization of Japan has led to the pollution of Kyoto, the drying of wells across the area, and the reduction of rain draining. People began to move from the center of the city to its suburbs, and it caused a collapse of the community. The landscape of traditional Kyoto was on the verge of the complete destruction because of the struggle between private developers and residents. This caused an increase of land and housing prizes, and the number of vacant housing units. One can draw a conclusion that the urbanization has created a number of problems, and such problems should be addressed and solved.