Sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment Kanto Regional Environment Office
The Ministry of the Environment’s Kanto Regional Environment Office will implement “Machigoto Decarbonization Lab,” a three-step support program designed to promote community-led decarbonization efforts. The program includes seminars where participants can learn methods for advancing initiatives through public-private collaboration and cross-departmental coordination, workshops, and matching events aimed at creating networking opportunities to foster collaboration between local governments and regional businesses. As the first installment of this program, the seminar “Machigoto Decarbonization Summit,” targeting municipal officials and private businesses, will be held on Tuesday, November 24, at a venue in Tokyo and online.
This seminar will draw on case studies of regional revitalization through decarbonization to show how decarbonization initiatives can be applied to address challenges faced by various municipal departments, including urban development, public facility management, and disaster preparedness.
The program will feature case presentations on cross-departmental and public-private collaboration from three municipal bodies and Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd., as well as a panel discussion covering topics such as “How did you get other departments on board?”, “How did you secure funding?”, and “What do private businesses expect from collaboration with local governments?” Following the main program, an optional networking reception will be held for in-person attendees who wish to exchange business cards and ideas with speakers and other participants.
※ Municipal bodies outside the Kanto Regional Environment Office’s jurisdiction may participate online only.
Background
Decarbonization can serve as a means of advancing a wide range of policies. By working together across departments, it can also become an opportunity to create more vibrant communities. For example, it can be incorporated into the initiatives of various departments in the following ways:
- Business attraction: Drawing companies to the region through renewable energy and public-private collaboration
- Urban development and public transportation: Creating walkable, accessible spaces
- Residential environment: Developing comfortable living conditions through energy-efficient, well-insulated housing
- Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries: Leveraging local resources to enhance value
- Facility management and operations: Reducing utility costs through equipment installation
- Disaster preparedness: Establishing facilities that can provide electricity even during power outages
We encourage municipal staff from the City of Yokohama, as well as businesses working on regional decarbonization within the city, to participate.
Event Overview
Date & Time: Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 1:30 PM–5:00 PM (Doors open at 1:00 PM)
Networking reception for in-person attendees only (optional)
Venue: AP Tokyo Yaesu, 7th Floor (Q+R) (6-minute walk from Tokyo Station) / Also available online
Target Audience: Municipal officials from the one metropolis and nine prefectures within the Kanto Regional Environment Office’s jurisdiction (Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka); private businesses interested in regional decarbonization and public-private collaboration
※ Municipal bodies outside the Kanto Regional Environment Office’s jurisdiction may participate online only.
Capacity: Approximately 100 in-person attendees (first-come, first-served)
Participation Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: Sunday, November 23, 11:59 PM
How to Register: https://forms.gle/dgxFUkUrSjScz7im8
Organizer: Ministry of the Environment Kanto Regional Environment Office
Day-of Schedule
1:30 PM Opening remarks and explanation of the program’s objectives (Ministry of the Environment Kanto Regional Environment Office)
1:35 PM Part 1: Keynote Address
“How Do We Design a Society with a Declining Population? Envisioning a Decentralized Society Through Decarbonization”
Yoshinori Hiroi (Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University)
2:25 PM Part 2: Case Presentations
Cross-departmental and public-private collaboration initiatives (three municipal bodies and one private company)
3:35 PM Panel Discussion
Topics: How to engage other departments / How to secure funding / What private businesses expect from collaboration with local governments, etc.
4:15 PM Overview of next steps and survey
4:25 PM Networking reception (in-person attendees only, optional)
Attendees can exchange business cards and ideas with speakers and other participants
5:00 PM Close
※ Content and speakers are subject to change.
Featured Case Studies (Planned): “What Does a Sustainable Future for Communities That Enhance Local Appeal Look Like?”
- Setagaya Ward, Tokyo: Public-private collaboration matching “what we can offer” with “what we need” (a local production and consumption demonstration project utilizing surplus solar power from residential installations)
- Sosa City, Chiba Prefecture: Let’s do it! Sosa City’s community-integrated renewable energy initiative (effective use of abandoned farmland through agri-solar sharing)
- Yokoze Town, Saitama Prefecture: “Yokolab” – Starting small with public-private collaboration (raising awareness of nature-positive approaches and an experiential high-insulation, airtight model home)
- Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd.: Community hub initiatives toward creating vibrancy and a circular society (a regional microgrid centered on a mixed-use facility)
Speakers
Yoshinori Hiroi (Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University)
Professor Emeritus at Kyoto University, specializing in public policy and philosophy of science. He is the author of numerous books, including Japan’s Future Vision (Iwanami Shinsho) and Rethinking Community (Chikuma Shinsho). He has consistently advocated for a “steady-state society = sustainable welfare society” in which the environment, welfare, and the economy are in harmony, while also engaging in a wide range of activities including policy research on social security, the environment, and urban and regional issues.
Who Should Attend
- Municipal officials who want to learn how to apply decarbonization initiatives to their own department’s policies
- Those who want to learn from case studies of municipalities advancing cross-departmental and public-private collaboration
- Private businesses involved in regional decarbonization who are considering collaboration with local governments
- Those who want to exchange opinions in person with speakers and officials from other municipalities
Participation Notes
- Online participants will receive a viewing URL before the event.
- Photographs will be taken for documentation purposes and may be used in reports and other materials.
- If the venue reaches capacity, participants may be asked to join online.
- Multiple attendees from the same organization are welcome. Please register individually.
- This seminar will be recorded and made available on a website or similar platform at a later date.
Next Steps
Following the Summit, cross-departmental workshops and business matching sessions with companies are planned. Details will be announced as they become available.
Registration and Inquiries
Register here: https://forms.gle/dgxFUkUrSjScz7im8
(Deadline: Sunday, November 23, 11:59 PM)
【Reference】About the Machigoto Decarbonization Lab – Community-Wide Decarbonization Together
【Reference】[Tuesday, November 24] Machigoto Decarbonization Lab Session 1: “Machigoto Decarbonization Summit (Seminar)” to Be Held
