A few subtle changes to the metrics, a handful of grand projects coming to fruition and a sprinkling of ambitious City Halls – this year’s Quality of Life Survey has seen some big changes. For the first time there are three Japanese cities in the top 10, with Tokyo – giddy at the prospect of the 2020 Olympics – rising to number two. Vancouver is our highest-ranked city in the Americas. Berlin is the highest riser, while Stockholm returns to the top five. Some big cities continue to miss the cut, for obvious reasons. Last year there were 414 murders in Chicago (for comparison, in Copenhagen there was one). London may have nightlife and culture but house prices are out of control and the police can’t always be trusted. Düsseldorf, San Francisco and Honolulu miss out this year, though that has more to do with the improvements made by others. Oslo and Lisbon return to the top 25, while Brisbane appears for the first time. Some things don’t change though and Copenhagen has won again. There’s no better person to introduce it than the woman who, as head of drama at Danish public broadcaster DR, has given the world two iconic dramas based in Denmark’s capital.