The Lost Decade...

...continues for Japan. Bridges to no-where, and now "back up" cities.

Japan is considering building a new city that would take over the functions of Tokyo if the capital was crippled by an earthquake or other natural disaster.

The plan is being put forward by a group of politicians from across the spectrum and comes nearly eight months after the north-east of Japan was devastated by a magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami. Nearly 20,000 people were killed or are still listed as missing, while experts are still trying to bring the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control.

If the earthquake had struck closer to Tokyo - which seismologists believe is overdue for a major tremor - then the results could have been catastrophic, the politicians said.

The planned new city - given the less-than-inspiring title of IRTBBC, standing for Integrated Resort, Tourism, Business and Backup City - could be built on a 1,236-acre site now occupied by Itami Airport, which used to be the main gateway to Osaka but has been largely superseded by Kansai International Airport.