Shiga Prefecture plans integrated government and police facility

Shiga Prefecture has formulated a draft basic concept for the development of a new integrated government office in Takashima City. The plan involves consolidating the Takashima Government Office, the Health and Welfare Office, and the Takashima Police Station into a single facility. This marks the first instance in Japan where a police station will be integrated into a combined government building.

The proposed new facility is expected to have a total floor area of approximately 7,600 square meters. The integration aims to improve citizen convenience, enhance coordination between sectors during normal operations and disasters, and reduce construction and maintenance costs. The project is designed to serve as a disaster response base and includes plans for high energy-efficiency standards, aiming for ZEB Ready status.

Estimated project costs range from approximately 7.93 billion to 9.91 billion yen, accounting for recent inflation. The prefecture plans to formulate a basic plan in fiscal 2027, followed by design phases in 2028–2029, with construction scheduled for 2030–2031. The goal is to begin operations in fiscal 2032.