田村明は実におおくの活動をしてきた。その全貌を弟子を自認してきた人たちも補足できていない。いま、田村の著書目録を整理していて、驚くほど多様な場で論考や著書を書いていることを発見する。
1970年代から80年代にかけて活動した日本都市企画会議の雑誌に、田村は論考を発表している。ただし、この日本都市企画会議なるものの実態が分からなかった。ネット検索や図書館情報で、まったくヒットしないのである。そのような中で、たまたまヒットした雑誌情報から、その編集者を探し、その編集者から当時の関係者を教えていただいた。その人物がNPO法人まちづくり協会理事長の増田勝氏であった。
増田氏は日本都市企画会議の事務局を務めた片桐達夫（都市総合研究所代表）の事務所に所属していたことがあり、日本都市企画会議の動きを脇で見ていたという。増田氏は田村明とも親交があり、保存されていた日本都市企画会議の年報を寄贈していただいた。その資料から、1967（昭和42）年、自治体による全国的な研究・研修機関の本格設立までの仮機関として総合計画センター（片桐達夫が事務担当）が設置されたことが判る。調査研究や研修活動の実績を積み、1973（昭和48）年、研修受講者OBや県庁所在都市の企画担当者が中心となり同年5月に設立発起人会が開かれた。その後、1974（昭和49）年6月に正式に設立された。田村は横浜市企画調整局長として、当初から当該会議体に関与してきた。
ただし、その後、増田氏によると「そんな中で、都市総合研究所自体、経営の悪化に伴い吸収合併され、日本都市企画会議も時代とともに運営が厳しくなり、かつ関係者が亡くなり活動が止まった状態になってしまった」という。
Akira Tamura has been involved in a great many activities. Even those who have recognised themselves as his disciples have not been able to supplement the full picture of his work. In sorting through the catalogue of Tamura's books, we discover that he has written essays and books in an astonishingly diverse range of venues.
Tamura published an article in the magazine of the Japan Urban Planning Council, which was active from the 1970s to the 1980s. However, I did not know what this Japan Urban Planning Council was really about. There were no hits at all in internet searches or library information. In such a situation, I found the editor of the magazine through the information I happened to find, and the editor told me about the people involved at that time. That person was Masuda Masaru, President of the NPO Machizukuri Association.
Mr Masuda had been a member of the office of Tatsuo Katagiri (President of the Urban Research Institute), who served as the secretariat of the Japan Urban Planning Council, and he had been watching the activities of the Council from the side. Masuda was also friends with Akira Tamura, who donated a preserved annual report of the Council. From these documents, it is known that in 1967 (Showa 42), the General Planning Centre (with Tatsuo Katagiri in charge of administration) was established as a temporary organisation until the full-fledged establishment of a nationwide research and training organisation by local authorities. After accumulating a track record of research and training activities, in 1973 (Showa 48) a meeting was held in May of the same year by the promoters of the establishment, mainly consisting of alumni of training courses and those in charge of planning in the cities where the prefectural governments were located. It was officially established in June 1974. Tamura had been involved in this body from the outset as Director General of the Planning and Coordination Bureau of the City of Yokohama.
However, according to Masuda, "his office itself was merged with the other institute due to deteriorating management, and the Council also became difficult to manage over time, and its activities came to a halt when the people involved passed away".
