Report “JICA Clean City Initiative (JCCI) International Seminar 2026"

Title, Date

JICA Clean City Initiative (JCCI) International Seminar 2026
~Co-creation and Innovation for a Circular Economy and Resilient Cities~

Date of Seminar

10:00-18:00(JST), Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Language of Seminar

Japanese, English and French (simultaneous interpretation available)

Period of Online Exhibition

Tueseday, 17th - Friday, 27th February

Number of participants

In-person attendance: 121 participants from 31 countries
Pre-registered participants : 736 participants from 105 countries

Organizer

JICA

Supporting Organization

Ministry of the Environment, Japan
Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC)

Event Format

Hybrid (On-site or Online)

Venue

JA KYOSAI Building Conference Hall (Hirakawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)

Seminar Outline

The “JICA Clean City Initiative (JCCI)” contributes to building a sustainable society that can realize a healthy environment and protect the health and living environment of people in partner countries by promoting environmental measures such as waste management and water and air pollution control. JCCI also enhance the transition to a Net Zero society in partner countries.

The 5th JCCI International Seminar was held in 2026, took place at a pivotal moment—five years before the 2030 target year of the SDGs—under the theme “Co-creation and Innovation for a Circular Economy and Resilient Cities.” This seminar aimed to provide an interim review of JCCI’s achievements while focusing on key challenges such as the circular economy, climate change, and urban environmental management. Through in-depth discussions, it sought to advance efforts toward a sustainable society and to serve as a platform for fostering new partnerships and innovation among industry, government, academia, and civil society.

Program

Time Program Presenter
10:00-10:20 Opening Session Mr. YOSHIKAWA YOSHIFUMI
(Senior Vice President, JICA),
Mr. SEKIYA TAKESHI (Director-General, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment)
10:20-10:50 Keynote Address (Advancing Circular Economy through Co-creation and Innovation)
The keynote address revisited SDG12, which was highly relevant to JCCI’s objectives
and activities, and reflected on emerging global issues since the adoption of the
SDGs. It suggested core issues for JCCI’s activities toward 2030, illustrated with concrete examples on the ground.		 Mr. ONO HIROSHI (Executive Director, IGES)
10:50-11:10 JCCI Interim Review
The presentation reviewed the achievements of JCCI at the midpoint of its target
period (FY2021–FY2030) and highlighted the significance of JCCI in realizing a circular
economy, along with the prospective direction of environmental cooperation that fosters co-creation and innovation.		 Mr. SHIBATA KAZUNAO
(Deputy Director General/Group Director for Environmental Management and Climate Change, Global Environment Department, JICA)
11:10-11:20 Break
11:20-12:30 Session 1: Urban Climate Resilience and Environmental Management
This session examined how environmental management—including waste and sewage management—contributed to addressing disasters caused by torrential rain and enhancing urban climate change resilience, drawing on case studies from Japan and partner countries.		 Mr. ISHIGAKI TOMONORI (Prime Senior Researcher, Material Cycles Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies)
Mr. TOMIOKA NORIO (Executive Director of Global Networks Department, International Affairs Bureau, City of Yokohama)
Mr. SUPHAT PHENGPHAN (Environmentalist, Professional level., Department of Climate Change and Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand)

"Facilitator"
Dr. KAWANISHI MASATO (Senior Advisor, JICA)
12:30-13:40 Lunch Break
13:40-14:40 Session 2: Developing Recycling Systems and Promoting Multi-stakeholder Collaboration toward a Circular Economy
This session examined case studies on ELV and plastic recycling, including JICA’s cooperation in Thailand and initiatives in Sri Lanka and Japan promoting plastic resource circulation, highlighting industry – government – academia collaboration, upstream–
downstream coordination, and the role of Japanese companies in advancing the circular economy.		 Professor HOSODA EIJI (Vice Chancellor, Department of Economics, School of Political Science and Economics, Tokai University)
Mr. MAESHIMA KOJI (Senior Deputy Director, Environmental Management and Climate Change, Global Environment Department, JICA)
Mr. CHAMMANA PATTARA (Department of Industrial Works, Ministry of Industry, Thailand)
Mr. G.N.L.M. RANASINGHE (Central Environmental Authority, Sri Lanka)
Mr. NAKAMURA KENTARO (Manager, Secretariat, Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance: CLOMA)
14:40-14:50 Break
14:50-16:10 Session 3: Achieving "Zero Waste" Toward a Circular Economy
This session showcased “Zero Waste” initiatives in Japan and Bhutan, highlighting policy approaches and community participation to advance a circular economy through collaboration among local governments, citizens, and businesses.		 Ms. FUJII SONOE (Promoter, Zero Waste Initiatives, Kamikatsu-cho Town Hall)
Mr. JIGME GEMBO (Assistant Environment Officer, Waste Management Division, Department of Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Bhutan)
Ms. TSHERING LHAMO (Founder, Gross International Nature)
Ms. WATANDO KANA (Co-founder, Director, INOW)

"Facilitator"
Mr. ADACHI ICHIRO (Senior Expert for Environmental Management, Environmental Management and Climate Change Group, Global Environment Department, JICA)
16:10-16:20 Break
16:20-17:30 Session 4: Resource Recycling Businesses – Challenges & Opportunities

This session aimed to promote the establishment of new partnerships and innovation among industry, government, academia and citizen. Presentations were made on corporate contributions to solving social challenges through overseas businesses leveraging proprietary technologies and taking advantage of co-creation.		 Mr. ARITAKEMASAYOSHI (CEO, A-Tech Co., Ltd.)
Mr. KONISHI TAKESHI (Senior Executive Officer, CTO and Head of R&D Center, GUUN Co., Ltd.)
Mr. YOSHIDA KOSUKE (Development Dept. of Original Product, Vice Manager, Kanazawa Engineering Systems, Inc.)
Mr. TSUTSUMI YOSUKE (Executive Officer, General Affairs Division, TSURUOKA CO.,LTD.)

"Facilitator"
Mr. SUZUKI TADASHI (Senior Assistant Director, Environmental Management and Climate Change Group, Global Environment Department, JICA)
17:30-17:50 Closing Session
Wrap-Up		 Dr. YOSHIDA MITSUO (Senior Advisor, Global Environment Department, JICA)
17:50-18:00 Closing Remarks Mr. ITO TERUYUKI (Global Environment Department Manager, JICA)
18:10- Networking Reception Presenters, Participants and Companies

* Videos of this seminar will be made available on YouTube (in Japanese, English, and French) at a later date.

Online Exhibition

The Japanese companies exhibited online through the Japan Platform for Redesign: Sustainable Infrastructure (JPRSI) administrated by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.
Various materials (videos, PDFs, etc.) were displayed on the platform.

Period of Online Exhibition: Tuesday, 17th - Friday, 27th February

Background

The JICA Global Agenda (JGA) is a business strategy in 20 thematic areas carried by JICA to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs in 2030 and to realize the principles that Japan aims to achieve through development cooperation such as “human security”, “quality growth” and “addressing global issues”. JGA on Environmental Management is called the “JICA Clean City Initiative (JCCI)”, an initiative to support capacity building of governmental organizations in partner countries to prevent environmental pollution in order to create clean cities for the healthy lives of its people by promoting environmental measures such as waste management and prevention of water and air pollution.
The JCCI international seminar is used as a platform to disseminate and share information on Japan's experiences and technologies to effectively promote "clean cities" in partner countries.

Related Information

Contact

If you have any inquiries, please contact the JCCI Secretariat, via email with an email title “Inquiry for JCCI event”.
E-mail：jicage_env (@) jica.go.jp