Ryoichiro Orii, Director of the International Bureau of the City of Yokohama, spoke at the World Cities Summit Mayor’s Forum 2025, which took place in Vienna, Austria, from 2-4 July 2025. He presented the city’s initiatives in the green sector as an environmentally advanced city in Asia, and discussed with cities around the world how to respond to rapid urbanization, climate change and increasingly complex social challenges.
The conference
Towards Livable and Sustainable Cities
The conference was organized by the Singapore Government and the City of Vienna, the winner of the 2020 Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize. Leaders of cities from around the world, international organizations and experts gathered to discuss the creation of liveable and sustainable cities on the themes of affordable housing, efficient services, urban energy transformation and urban water management.
Head of International Affairs Bureau Yokohama, Ryoichiro Orii, as speaker
Yokohama City Initiatives
Yokohama City spoke at the session entitled LKYWCP Network Knowledge Forum, together with Medellín, New York City, Bilbao, Seoul and other cities. Ryoichiro Orii, Director of the International Bureau, introduced the four pillars of Yokohama’s strategy to realize a green society: the power of citizens, the power of business, the introduction of innovative technologies and the actions of local authorities, and stressed the importance of city solidarity in combating climate change.
Group photo of the speakers
The session was followed by a signing ceremony for the Lee Kuan Yew World Cities Network Declaration. The Lee Kuan Yew World City Award is an internationally prestigious award given to cities that have achieved results in creating livable and sustainable cities. Yokohama City received a special award in 2014.
Signing ceremony for the Lee Kuan Yew World Cities Network Declaration
Yokohama, Asia’s leading environmentally advanced city
Yokohama, which has received high marks for its climate change measures, including being the first city in the world to be selected by the OECD to be assessed for climate change measures, is promoting various initiatives while deepening cooperation with stakeholders in Japan and abroad.
This November, the Asia Smart City Conference will be held under the theme of promoting the circular economy and carbon neutrality; in 2027, Yokohama will host the Asia-Pacific Urban Forum and GREEN x EXPO 2027.
