Message from the President
In 2021, the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan (OECC) formulated its five-year Action Plan to respond effectively to the environmental challenges confronting the international community. Following a comprehensive review of the progress and achievements under the plan, OECC has now formulated a new Medium-Term Plan for 2026–2030, which will serve as our strategic roadmap for the next five years.
In June this year, OECC convened the Michio Hashimoto Memorial Symposium in Tokyo under the theme “Initiatives and Future Perspectives for Building a Circular Society.” The symposium brought together leading policymakers and experts to exchange insights and experiences on one of the most pressing challenges facing the international community today. As resource depletion and growing environmental pressures continue to intensify, the transition toward a sustainable society founded on greater resource efficiency and reduced waste has become an imperative. Against this backdrop, the distinguished panelists shared their advanced experiences and engaged in a lively and substantive dialogue on how we can overcome these challenges and accelerate efforts toward a circular society. Please refer to the article on key messages and outcomes of the symposium in OECC Letter (Japanese only).
In November, ICLEI Japan launched the Asian Circular Cities Declaration (ACCD) initiative in collaboration with Yokohama and other leading cities across Asia. This initiative represents an important step toward advancing the transition to circular cities through strengthened cooperation among cities in the region. Building upon this momentum, the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Circular Cities (APCC) Forum will provide an important platform for signatory cities and other stakeholders to share experiences, deepen collaboration, and shape a forward-looking course of action for the region.
As the environmental challenges are becoming increasingly complex and interconnected, OECC will continue to draw upon its accumulated knowledge, expertise, and international partnerships, while further strengthening its efforts to address these challenges. We remain firmly committed to playing a leading role in overseas environmental and development cooperation and to contributing to realizing a sustainable future.
