Ward 24
The Ward 24, also referred to as Ward 24, is a city that serves as the setting of The Silver Case. It is a fictional addition to the real-life 23 special wards of Tokyo, Kanto, Japan.
Geography
The 24th Ward is divided into five Areas; Area A, the Center Zone, is in the middle, surrounded by a road called Route Circle, while the other four Areas are arranged in a quadrant-like manner. Area B, the Residence Zone, is in the top-right, Area C, the Business Zone, is in the bottom-right, Area D, the Industrial Zone, is in the bottom-left and Area E, the Underdeveloped Zone, is in the top-left. A road located in Area E connects Ward 24 to Hinashiro City.
Locations
- Area A (Center Zone)
- Area A1
- Area A3
- Area A4
- Area B (Residence Zone)
- Area B1
- Area B2
- Area B4
- Area C (Business Zone)
- Area C2
- Area C3
- Area C4
- Area D (Industrial Zone)
- Area E (Underdeveloped Zone)
- Area E1
- Sewer entrance
- Area E2
- Area E3
- Cauliflower
- Bank
- Road leading to Hinashiro City
- Area E4
- Area E1
- Tamura
- Model Room
Government
The 24th Ward's government has its roots in the big three Kanto non-governmental organizations: TRO, CCO and FSO. As the Kanto government weakened, these non-profit groups became more and more powerful, like political parties. TRO and CCO joined together as the TRO/CCO Alliance, which had a big rivalry with FSO.
The 24th Ward's major departments formed around what used to be parts of TRO and CCO. The Departments of Communications and Finance went to the former TRO, and the Departments of Investment and the Environment went to the former CCO. The Department of Security, also known as the Administrative Inspection Office, was split between the two. FSO meanwhile continued to operate companies in the city. From this, the three parties became inherently linked to Ward 24.
Before and during The Silver Case, the mayor of the city was officially Kaoru Hachisuka, though at some point his identity was taken over by his father, Uminosuke Hachisuka. Other administrators, linked to the former NGOs, had large influence on the city: Daizaburo Kai, the leader of the TRO/CCO Alliance, and Sundance Shot, the leader of FSO. The person with the most control over the city was a man named Nezu who can alter the city from atop the TV Tower. By the time of The 25th Ward: The Silver Case, Hachisuka had been succeeded by Tsubaki following his death.
History
The 24th Ward was officially recognized by the government in January, 1980. Many of its residential facilities were designed by the architect Igor Ishizakaski. The next month, Kaoru Hachisuka was appointed the mayor. In April, residency was offered to citizens from all around the country. 80,000 residents were selected based on education, income, and lack of religious affiliation. Over the next few years, the Shelter Kids Policy was put into place in the city.
By 1999, the population reached 100,000 and there was a growing rift between the rich and the poor. This wasn't because of the expected financial reasons, but actually because the wealthier had an easier time accessing valuable information and data using technology. Crime became huge in the city, and much of it was sensationalized by the media.
Over the course of 1999, due to the events of The Silver Case, many of the Ward's administrators - specifically Hachisuka, Nezu and Enzawa - were killed, as was most of the Heinous Crimes Unit. Due to this vacuum of power, the culture began to change.
By 2005, the time of The 25th Ward, the population had doubled, the class differences had disappeared and the number of violent crimes had gone down. Former yakuza boss Tsubaki had become the new mayor. Due to the decline of crime, the reformed Heinous Crimes Unit was generally seen as outdated by the populace. However, crime continues to lurk under the surface of the city in new, invisible forms.
Trivia
- The 24th Ward is inconsistently translated as "Ward 24"/"the 24th Ward" and "24 Wards". Given that the size and population of the city shown in-game, while large, are clearly not anywhere near as enormous as the real-life 23 wards, this wiki assumes the former translation - referring to a specific ward and not all of them - to be the intended meaning.