Mapping socio-ecological injustice in Tokyo: Insights for land use management and climate adaptation for urban just transition

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) increasingly emphasized urban justice transitions by incorporating social equity into climate adaptation. As a pioneer in environmental innovation, Japan implemented several national strategies (Eco-Town, Environmental Future City, SDGs Future City) to promote sustainable urban transitions. This study used Tokyo as a pilot megacity to develop and apply a socio-ecological justice analysis framework for spatial mapping of inequality, aiming to inform land use management and climate adaptation strategies that prioritized justice. The framework included 10 justice dimensions and 16 localized indicators covering economic, social, and environmental domains. Multiple datasets from 2023 to 2024, including census statistics, OpenStreetMap points of interest (POI), park accessibility, environmental health risks, and citizen engagement, were spatialized in ArcGIS Pro using 500-meter grids. The results indicated that Tokyo’s development was generally equitable, with extensive green space coverage, widespread infrastructure, and relatively low environmental risks. However, significant disparities remained: the central business district was economically vibrant but had limited access to green spaces and higher environmental health risks, while the suburbs possessed richer ecological resources but exhibited weaker infrastructure provision and lower citizen participation. These findings suggested that Tokyo’s urban transition had shifted from environmental innovation to social inclusion, but gaps remained in green resource distribution, infrastructure equity, and representation of vulnerable groups. The study provided evidence-based framework for incorporating spatial equity into land use and climate adaptation policies, offering transferable insights for other megacities worldwide pursuing justice and resilient urban transition.