Waseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS)Waseda University

Name

ORTIZ-MOYA, Fernando

Degree

Ph.D. in Architecture

Status

Assistant Professor

Research Topic

Sustainable Futures for Shrinking Towns: Redefining Planning for a World in Decline

A demographic crisis is sweeping the globe, yet local governments are exhausting vital resources on obsolete, “growth-at-all-costs” strategies that simply don’t work. My research asks a bold question: How can communities thrive when their populations shrink? Moving beyond the impossible pursuit of endless regrowth, this project develops an evidence-based, sustainable planning framework designed specifically for depopulation. Grounded in fieldwork from pioneering Japanese municipalities that have successfully transitioning out of growth-centric models, this research investigates how shrinking towns can leverage localized strategies—such as sustainable forestry, circular economies, and community-led development—to maintain an exceptional quality of life. Ultimately, this work will translate these localized successes into an actionable, globally transferable playbook. The goal is to redefine urban planning for the 21st century, ensuring that towns facing demographic decline can maintain essential services, enhance local well-being, and secure a resilient future.

Education and Academic Employment

Education

Academic Employment

Fields of Research Interests

Urban shrinkage and depopulation; urban and regional planning; urban policy; sustainable cities; local governance; SDGs localisation; VLRs;

Academic Publications

• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Sieloff, S. (2025). Urban Planning Responses to Population Decline in Japan’s Shrinking Cities: Growth Strategies vs. Decline Management. Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2025.2554367
• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Reggiani, M. (2025). Relational Follow-up and Review of the 2030 Agenda: Accelerating the Implementation of the SDGs. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 76, 101558, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2025.101558
• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Yang, Y. (2025). Cities’ Review of the Sustainable Development Goals and Insights from Voluntary Local Reviews. npj Urban Sustainability, 5, Article 58, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00243-7
• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Reggiani, M. (2025). Operationalising the Follow-up and Review of the SDGs at the Local Level: Insights from European Cities and their Voluntary Local Review Experiences. Journal of Urban Ecology, 11(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1093/jue/juaf001
• Pineda, A., Ortiz-Moya, F., & Almazán, J. (2024). Mapping Everyday Community Life in Suburban Shrinking Areas around Tokyo: Case study of Minamiashigara, Kanagawa Prefecture. Planning Practice and Research, 39(3), 392–416. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2024.2302223
• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Reggiani, M. (2023). Contributions of the Voluntary Local Review Process to Policy Integration: Evidence from Frontrunner Cities. npj Urban Sustainability, 3, Article 22, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-023-00101-4
• Pineda, A., Ortiz-Moya, F., Harigaya, M., Suganuma, K., & Almazán, J. (2023). Place Attachment and Identity in Shrinking Cities: Anticipating Decline by Combining Perceptions of Locals and Visitors in Chōfu, Japan. URBAN DESIGN International, 28(2), 103–121. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41289-022-00183-z
• Reggiani, M., & Ortiz-Moya, F. (2022). The Impact of High-Speed Rail on the Trajectories of Shrinking Cities: The Case of the Extension of the Shinkansen Network in Northern Japan. International Planning Studies, 27(1), 91–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2021.1971951
• Ortiz-Moya, F., Kataoka, Y., Mitra, B. K., Saito, O., & Takeuchi, K. (2021). Reconfiguring Territorial Relations to Build a Sustainable and Resilient Future: Japan’s Circulating and Ecological Sphere (CES). Sustainability Science, 16(5), 1717–1729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00941-y
• Ozawa-Meida, L., Ortiz-Moya, F., Painter, B., Hengesbaugh, M., Nakano, R., Yoshida, T., Zusman, E., & Bhattacharyya, S. (2021). Integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into Urban Climate Plans in the UK and Japan: A Text Analysis. Climate, 9(6), 100, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli9060100
• Ortiz-Moya, F. (2020). Green Growth Strategies in a Shrinking City: Tackling Urban Revitalization through Environmental Justice in Kitakyushu City, Japan. Journal of Urban Affairs, 42(3), 312–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2018.1448225
• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Moreno, N. (2020). Broken Promises of Capitalism’s Wonderland: Representing Uneven Development in Contemporary China and Japan. Critical Sociology, 46(4–5), 745–759. https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920519860187
• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Moreno, N. (2016). The Incredible Shrinking Japan: Cinematic Representations of Urban Decline. CITY, 20(6), 880–903. https://doi.org/10.1080/13604813.2016.1239445
• Ortiz-Moya, F., & Moreno, N. (2015). Filming Industrial Japan: Kitakyushu, Rise and Decline of the Iron Town. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 2, 479–487. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681376.2015.1085328
• Ortiz-Moya, F. (2015). Coping with Shrinkage: Rebranding Post-Industrial Manchester. Sustainable Cities and Society, 15, 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2014.11.004

  Book

• Ortiz-Moya, F. (2026). We’re Still Here: Revitalising Shrinking Cities from the Ground Up. Oakland: University of California Press.

Other Interests

Urban walks and local exploration; photography; reading; museums/exhibitions; cinema

Affiliated Academic Organizations

Architectural Institute of Japan