Yokohama Leads Asia as First Signatory of the Asian Circular Cities Declaration at ASCC 2025

Yokohama Leads Asia as First Signatory of the Asian Circular Cities Declaration at ASCC 2025

Yokohama Leads Asia as First Signatory of the Asian Circular Cities Declaration at ASCC 2025

  • On 2025/11/27
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On November 25–26, the Asia Smart City Conference (ASCC 2025) was held in Yokohama, bringing together cities, international organizations, and innovators working toward sustainable urban futures. This year’s conference marked a historic milestone: the launch of the Asian Circular Cities Declaration, the first region-wide framework in Asia dedicated to accelerating circular city transitions. Yokohama proudly became the first signatory, reflecting the city’s long-term commitment to circular development and international collaboration.

Yamanaka signing the Asian Circular Cities Declaration as the first signatory

Circular Economy Challenges and Opportunities for Asian Cities

Asia’s cities are rapidly growing, using more resources and generating more waste each year. While many local governments are exploring circular economy solutions, Asia lacked a shared platform for cities to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and move forward together.

Inspired by the European Circular Cities Declaration (2020), which now includes about 90 cities, Yokohama recognized the need for an Asian framework rooted in the region’s unique challenges and opportunities.

By launching the Asian Circular Cities Declaration at ASCC 2025, participating cities aim to strengthen cooperation and co-create practical pathways toward circular, resilient, and inclusive urban systems.

Asian Circular Cities Declaration Officially Announced at ASCC 2025 in Yokohama

During the conference, leaders from Bangkok (Thailand), Da Nang (Vietnam), Makassar (Indonesia), Cebu (Philippines), and Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities joined Yokohama in expressing support for the establishment of the declaration. CityNet, the regional network of local governments, served as a witness to the announcement.

Asian city leaders presented the joint open letter in support of the new declaration

Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka emphasized the importance of city-led action:
“We heard high expectations from many partners for the Asian Circular Cities Declaration, and Yokohama will work tirelessly to encourage more cities to join and expand this movement across Asia.”

Takeharu Yamanaka, the Mayor of Yokohama

This collaborative call represents a turning point as Asian cities begin building a shared roadmap for circular transformation.

Global Partners Support the Asian Circular Cities Declaration

Piia Elo, the Mayor of Turku, Finland, who now serves as an official advisor to Mayor Yamanaka in her role as ICLEI Global Executive Committee Advisor, attended ASCC 2025 and publicly voiced strong support.

She emphasized “Turku supports Yokohama’s leadership and the new declaration to create a city-led transition, co-creating solutions by empowering local stakeholders and collaborating with international partners.”

Yamanaka and Elo reaffirming their partnership for circular city development

Additional endorsements from Asian Development Bank (ADB), ADB Institute, World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center, UNDP, UN-Habitat, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, World Economic Forum, and Circle Economy further demonstrated broad global support.

ICLEI Japan to Lead the Asian Circular Cities Declaration Framework

To guide the next steps, ICLEI Japan announced that it will host and manage the Asian Circular Cities Declaration framework.

Under ICLEI’s coordination, the declaration aims to:

  • Support cities in developing circular strategies and policies
  • Facilitate city-to-city learning and joint pilot projects
  • Share data and best practices across the region
  • Strengthen partnerships between local governments, research institutions, and private organizations

This framework creates new opportunities for international cooperation as cities across Asia explore practical circular solutions.

ICLEI Japan’s Executive Director Togo Uchida

Yokohama’s Local Circular Projects and Leadership in Asia’s Circular Economy

Yokohama’s leadership stems from years of local circular initiatives and international engagement. Key examples include:

  • Minato Mirai Circular City Project
    Yokohama City and the Yokohama SDGs Design Center are conducting Japan’s first district-level material flow analysis, visualizing how resources enter, circulate, and exit the Minato Mirai area to measure progress and identify priority actions for decarbonization.
  • SDGs Locker (Food Loss Reduction Locker)
    The SDGs Locker is an unmanned, locker-type vending machine that sells still-edible food that would otherwise be discarded due to store hours or minor imperfections. Rolled out across Yokohama since January 2024, it is Japan’s first city-led initiative in a government-designated city using smart lockers to reduce food loss.
  • STYLE 100
    STYLE 100 is a project that highlights and accelerates local residents’ and organizations’ creative, planet-friendly lifestyles and actions, aiming to introduce 100 “green living styles” by GREEN×EXPO 2027. The platform encourages more people and businesses to participate in building a decarbonized, biodiverse, and resource-circulating future together.

Yokohama has also built deep ties with international city networks through ASCC, positioning the city as both a local innovator and a global connector in the circular economy movement.

ASCC Rebrands as Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum, Set for 2026 and 2027 in Yokohama

The launch of the Asian Circular Cities Declaration marks a significant step for Yokohama and for the entire region. By connecting local initiatives with international partnerships, Yokohama is helping shape a more circular, resilient, and inclusive future for cities across Asia.

During the closing remarks, Mayor Yamanaka announced that ASCC will evolve into the Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum (APCC-Forum) beginning next year to reflect the region’s growing focus on circular development.

Upcoming dates:

  • APCC-Forum 2026
    September 2–4, 2026
  • APCC-Forum 2027
    August 31–September 2, 2027, during GREEN×EXPO 2027 in Yokohama

Yamanaka invited participants to save the date

The scene from ASCC2025

For readers interested in learning more or joining the movement

ICLEI Japan hosts the official page for the Asian Circular Cities Declaration.

Explore the Asian Circular Cities Declaration on ICLEI Japan’s website
https://japan.iclei.org/en/asian-circular-cities-declaration-call-for-city-partners/

[Reference]Green Hub in Asia, Business Yokohama
[Reference]ASCC2025 official Website
[Related Post]Circular Yokohama Participated in the 13th Asia Smart City Conference
[Related Post][11/25-27]Yokohama to spearhead Asian Circular Cities Declaration at ASCC 2025

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室井梨那（Rina Muroi）

Rina was born and raised in Yokohama, and brings a ENG/JP bilingual edge to the Circular Yokohama team. With a background in second language acquisition and international education, she leads collaborative initiatives and storytelling projects that connect local efforts with global audiences, building friendships through circularity.

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