The gap between rich and poor is widening in Japan, in part as a consequence of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's structural reforms, and many mayors and governors feel they're left holding the bag.
The Roppongi Hills commercial and residential complex in Minato Ward, Tokyo, is a monument to the economic winners created by a society that is becoming more fiercely competitive.
As the number of high-income residents increases, so have the ward's tax revenues. But at the same time, the number of households receiving public assistance has risen as well.