Osaka grapples with severely aging water and sewage systems

The Dotonbori area of Osaka. Severely aging water and sewage systems pose a challenge across much of Osaka Prefecture. | BLOOMBERG

Jiji

Oct 14, 2026

Osaka – Public infrastructure and equipment essential to daily life are rapidly deteriorating in Osaka Prefecture, home to the country’s second-largest metropolitan area and which has a population of about 8.75 million.

Much of the infrastructure was developed within a relatively short period during Japan’s era of rapid economic growth and is now aging simultaneously. The deterioration of water supply and sewage systems is of particular concern because of its potentially serious consequences, underscoring the need for prompt action.

Aging pipes that carry wastewater and rainwater from homes and factories pose a challenge across much of Osaka Prefecture. The regional sewage network managed by the prefectural government spans several municipalities and extends for a total of 573 kilometers. It includes the Neyagawa River basin, where work began in fiscal 1965 on Japan’s first regional sewage project.

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