Among Japan's 72 major cities outside of Tokyo, Kyoto retained its top spot as the metropolis with the greatest strengths for the second consecutive year, thanks to its allure as a tourism destination, a Tokyo-based think tank said Tuesday.
The top three cities were unchanged from the previous year, with Fukuoka and Osaka taking second and third place, respectively, according to the Mori Memorial Foundation's Institute for Urban Development.
The think tank analyzed each city's characteristics and gave a score based on six criteria: economy and business, research and development, cultural interaction, daily life and livability, environment, and accessibility. It also ranked Tokyo's 23 wards using the same criteria.