Yokohama works with Asian Development Bank toward making sustainable cities around the world

Yokohama promotes eco-city planning and transport innovation at ADB events, strengthening city-to-city ties for sustainable urban development.

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN, June 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The City of Yokohama and the Asian Development Bank (hereinafter referred to as “ADB”) have been working toward the formation of an eco-city in Asia since signing a partnership agreement in 2013, through knowledge sharing among Asian cities, administrative dialogue and business matching among cities, and collaboration in the Asia Smart City Conference.

This paper reports on the city's attendance at the 58th ADB Annual Meeting held in May 2025 and the results of the promotion of the city's policies and corporate technologies in the ADB Transportation Sector Leadership Program.


ADB’s Annual Meeting:

The 58th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank took place in Milan from May 4 to May 7, 2025, at Allianz MiCo - Milano Convention Centre. Under the theme "Sharing Experience, Building Tomorrow", it marked the first time that Italy hosted the Annual Meeting. Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from ADB member countries, officials from international organizations, representatives of the private sector, civil society organizations, and the media participated in the event.

The session to discuss city-to-city partnerships, entitled ‘Building Resilient, Low-carbon, and Livable Cities through City-to-City Partnerships’, featured speakers from the City of Yokohama, Roberta Casali, Vice-President for Finance and Risk Management of the ADB, Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan, Italy, and Oybek Khamraev, Deputy Governor of Samarkand,Uzbekistan, who discussed urban challenges and the importance of partnerships in the growing Asia-Pacific region.

Hirotaka Sato, Deputy Mayor of Yokohama, introduced city planning initiatives carried out together with citizens and businesses, such as the “Carbon Neutral Leading Area”, which has been carried in a water front city center of 186 ha called as “Minato Mirai 21 district”, and stressed that local governments are closest to citizens and businesses, and that it is an important role of cities to connect their potential to policy making.

He also introduced Yokohama’s past achievements in international cooperation, including city to city cooperation with Southeast Asian cities and the sharing of solutions to urban issues through the Asia Smart City Conference and other events, and called for participation in GREEN×EXPO 2027, which will be held in Yokohama in 2027.


ADB Vice-President Roberta Casali emphasized that the ADB will continue to support cities in the Asia-Pacific region to become more resilient and sustainable, while keynote speaker Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan, presented the urban management initiatives of the City of Milan, which can serve as a model for urban resilience, innovation and sustainability. He also spoke of public-private partnerships as key to the city’s future. Mr. Saito, Senior Director of the Water and Urban Development Sector at ADB, also officially launched a new City-to-City Partnership Program. It was emphasized that the program goes beyond traditional cooperation, such as technical assistance and policy formulation support, and is linked to ADB’s ongoing financial support.


ADB Transportation Sector Leadership Program:

The “Transportation Sector Leadership Program” was held in Japan from May 12 to 16 for Director-level officials from ADB headquarters and administrative officials from ADB’s Developing Member Countries (DMCs).
Program Outline:
・ Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2025
・ Morning: Introduction of Yokohama City transportation policies, company presentation
・ Afternoon: Site visit, company presentation
・ Location: Y-PORT Center Office, Yokohama International Organizations Center (and Site visits to Minato Mirai 21 districts)
Participants:
・ ADB side: Approx. 56 persons (Government officials from India, Philippines, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, ADB staff, etc.)
・ Yokohama City side: 32 persons (International Affairs Bureau, Road and Highway Bureau, Transportation Bureau, Zero Carbon and GREEN×EXPO Promotion Bureau)


The ADB has mentioned the importance of decarbonizing infrastructure, including roads, transportation, and public transport, and addressing climate change and disasters in order to respond to the growing threats of climate change and disasters in the Asia-Pacific region. To promote this, ADB aims to provide a cumulative total of $100 billion in climate change finance to developing member countries by 2030. This program was designed to help participants understand emerging trends and urban development practices in the transportation sector and responses to climate change, to develop their leadership skills, and to contribute to the achievement of the aforementioned goals.


The City of Yokohama introduced notable initiatives which are being carried out in Minato Mirai 21 district, as this area has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad for its environmental friendliness, resilience, and mobility in the transportation sector. The city elaborated the history of the redevelopment of the city's waterfront area, as well as recent initiatives such as shared bicycles, EV charging ports on public roads, and the introduction of a new transportation axis along the waterfront line by introducing articulated bus services. Three private companies involved in public-private partnerships with the city in Indonesia also took the stage. (Assemble Point introduced its EV jeepney manufacturing, Kyosan Electric introduced its autonomous decentralized signal control system, and PT Santomo Green Power Management introduced its EV motorcycle charging exchange service.

At an excursion in the Minato Mirai 21 district, the participants were introduced to the initiatives and well-designed facilities for workability and actual site and equipments which were introduce in the previous lectures. At one of the sites, TOHO LEO introduced its rainwater harvesting and infiltration infrastructure constructed in Grand Mall Park.


Collaboration between the City of Yokohama and ADB creates a new networking among Asian cities and private companies and international organizations Yokohama will continues these international cooperation to make sustainable cities in the world.

Masahiro Nishikawa
City of Yokohama, Representative to the Americas
+1 646-905-3758
email us here

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