From October 3 to 6, the 7th Japan-France Municipal Exchange Conference was held in Aix-en-Provence in southern France, and the European Office’s chief representative participated on behalf of Yokohama City, which has a sister city relationship with Lyon, France.

The theme of the meeting was “Innovation for Sustainable Regions,” and participants shared their initiatives in various fields such as agriculture and biodiversity, coexistence, aging society, and future living environment, and actively exchanged opinions.

On October 5th, during a breakout session on the theme of “What kind of sustainable economic model should we aim for?” the chief representative of the Yokohama Europe Representative Office gave a presentation on local production for local consumption, an initiative that has attracted much interest from the city of Lyon. Specifically, he introduced the importance of farmland as a green infrastructure that provides fresh agricultural and livestock products, a beautiful landscape, and agricultural experiences that enrich the lives of citizens; the importance of passing on agriculture to the next generation in Yokohama, where approximately 3.8 million residents and consumers live; and local production for local consumption, taking into account the characteristics of the many agricultural and livestock products produced in places close to citizens. The local governments on the French side asked about the use of the “Yokohama Farm” logo.

During the meeting, the chief representative also met with the Deputy Mayor of Lyon for International Affairs to exchange views on future sister city exchanges and cooperation. Lyon and Yokohama established a sister city affiliation in 1959, and this year marks the 63rd anniversary of the affiliation.

About Yokohama Farm

Yokohama Farm” is a term that refers to the entire agricultural industry in Yokohama, including the diverse people involved in food and agriculture, agricultural and livestock products, and the agricultural landscape, as a single farm. The City of Yokohama is using the term “Yokohama Farm” and its logo to promote Yokohama’s agriculture.

on the right: Sonia Zdorovtzoff of Lyon
Deputy Mayor for International Affairs