DAN Environmental Design Institute Co., Ltd.

DAN Environmental Design Institute Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 株式会社ダン計画研究所, also rendered DAN Keikaku Kenkyujo) is an independent, Osaka-based think tank and planning consultancy. It was founded in April 1973 and formally established as a company on 14 June 1974, with its head office in Chuo-ku, Osaka. The firm describes itself as an "action-oriented think tank" that connects people, cities, and projects, and it has pursued that mission for more than five decades. The company's work spans research, policy proposals, and planning for urban revitalization; research and proposals for new industry creation; urban and community planning; and research and business-development support for the creation of operational bases. Its clients include government ministries and agencies, local governments, public bodies, universities and research institutes, private companies, and individuals. Over the years it has worked with organizations such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the City of Osaka, Kobe City, Sakai City, Kyoto University, Osaka University, Kansai University, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric Power, Kintetsu Railway, and Keihan Electric Railway, among many others. DAN is a small, privately held company with stated capital of 26 million yen. Its leadership includes Chairman Kunio Yoshino and President Nobuko Aoki (also known professionally as Miyao). The firm is a member of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives, and the Japan Society of Urban and Regional Planners. In 2023 it marked its 50th anniversary, opened a second office called "Hiranomachi Lab" in Chuo-ku, and held an online commemorative seminar on design management and open factories. Looking toward its 60th anniversary in 2033, it has articulated a vision of co-creating the future of regions and connecting the people involved. Recent activities include participation in Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, where the firm helped plan and operate events for the Kinki Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry and supported events organized by the Osaka Regional Development Research Association. Its work continues to focus on themes such as design management, intellectual property, hydrogen energy, the circular economy, open factories, export promotion for agricultural, forestry and fishery products, and economic statistical analysis.

DAN Environmental Design Institute was founded in April 1973 and formally established as a company on 14 June 1974. It is headquartered in Chuo-ku, Osaka, and has operated as an independent think tank in the Kansai region for over fifty years. The firm's long-standing goal has been to act as an "action-oriented think tank" that connects people, cities, and projects. In 2004, the firm worked on research for the formation of an industrial base for life-support robots in Osaka and on RT (robot technology) design and Asian expansion. In 2007, it began work on vacant house revitalization and renovation, including a citizen collaboration program in the Tomigaoka Station South District of Tondabayashi City, integrating station-front development with the preservation and revitalization of historic townscapes. Over six years, this led to the creation of a base for forestry promotion through townhouse revitalization, in cooperation with forestry associations, and support for the establishment and operation of a local organization for vacant house utilization called "LLP Machikatsu," which helped launch about 40 businesses in vacant houses. In 2013, a local art and craft market was held, and in 2014 the firm implemented projects such as the Tondabayashi Historic Building Revitalization Project (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) and sake brewery utilization projects (Agency for Cultural Affairs). In 2009, the firm worked on cultural and artistic projects including a basic plan survey for the construction of the Osaka City Museum of Modern Art, a basic plan survey for a new museum in Shiga Prefecture in 2011, and Noh theater revitalization. As deputy chair of the Arts and Culture Committee of the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives, it supported the establishment of Arts Support Kansai (ASK), a funding organization for young artists, in 2014. In 2014, the company celebrated its 40th anniversary with a commemorative symposium on "Medical Health and Residential Town Development Strategy on the Uemachi Plateau," and Nobuko Miyao (Aoki) became representative director. From 2014 onward, in the urban field, the firm engaged in base utilization and Kyomachiya surveys in the Kongo district of Tondabayashi City, basic planning for the Suita Innovation Park (Kenkuto), and software planning for the Nara Historical Art and Culture Village. In the industrial field, it tackled design management and intellectual property seminars, research on hydrogen energy and the circular economy, open factories, export expansion for agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food, terraced rice field PR, and economic statistical analysis. In 2022, the firm co-hosted the Uemachi Plateau Art Forum international symposium and contemporary art exhibition with the Osaka Regional Development Research Association. In 2023, it celebrated its 50th anniversary, partially relocated to Hiranomachi in Chuo-ku and opened "Hiranomachi Lab," and held an online commemorative seminar on "Design Management and Open Factory." In 2025, it participated in Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, planning and operating the "Rethink Design Expo" event for the Kinki Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, and supporting events for the Osaka Regional Development Research Association's "EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai × Utsuwa Project." Looking toward its 60th anniversary in 2033, the firm has articulated a vision of co-creating the future of regions and connecting the people involved.

• Founded

• Established as a company

• Conducted research on industrial base formation for life-support robots and RT design in Kansai

• Began vacant house revitalization and renovation projects in Tondabayashi City

• Worked on cultural and artistic projects including Osaka City Museum of Modern Art basic plan survey

• Celebrated 40th anniversary; Nobuko Miyao (Aoki) became representative director

• Co-hosted Uemachi Plateau Art Forum international symposium and contemporary art exhibition

• Celebrated 50th anniversary; opened Hiranomachi Lab; held commemorative seminar on design management and open factory

• Participated in Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, planning and operating events for Kinki Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry

Independent, action-oriented think tank connecting people, cities, and projects for regional revitalization.

• Urban revitalization research and policy proposals

• New industry creation research

• Urban and community planning

• Business development support for operational bases

1. 1株式会社 ダン計画研究所 - ひと・まち・ことをつなぐ 行動する シンクタンクdan-dan.com
2. 2会社概要 | 株式会社 ダン計画研究所dan-dan.com
3. 3大阪のまちづくりシンクタンク ダン計画研究所dan-dan.com
4. 4DAN Environmental Design Institute (Japan) - Wikidatawikidata.org