Yokohama Mayor shares circular economy vision at World Urban Forum 13

In May 2026, Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka delivered a video address at a Special Session titled “Closing the Loop: Advancing Waste Management Towards a Circular Economy” during the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The World Urban Forum, convened by UN-Habitat, brings together a wide range of stakeholders from across the globe to exchange knowledge and ideas for building sustainable cities.

In his speech, Mayor Yamanaka emphasized the critical role cities play in achieving a sustainable society. He highlighted Yokohama’s achievement of reducing waste by 50% despite population growth, made possible through collaboration between residents and the municipal government.

He also introduced Yokohama’s efforts to share this experience internationally, including the establishment of the “Asian Circular Cities Declaration” led by ICLEI Japan. At the time of writing, the initiative includes 26 cities across 7 countries.

Additionally, the Mayor promoted upcoming events hosted in Yokohama, including GREEN×EXPO 2027 and the 9th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-9), co-organized with UN ESCAP.

Through participation in WUF13, Yokohama continues to share its environmental initiatives and strengthen its presence as a leading sustainable city in the Asia-Pacific region.