Yokohama City Selected as the Only Japanese City Among the UN's Top 20 Global Cities for Waste Reduction!
Key facts
- Yokohama City Selected as the Only Japanese City Among the UN's Top 20 Global Cities for Waste Reduction!
- Yokohama City has been recognized as the only Japanese city among the UN's top 20 global leaders in waste reduction. The selection highlights Yokohama's significant achievements in reducing waste by 50% despite population growth, alongside its innovative policies and citizen engagement initiatives. This recognition underscores Yokohama's commitment to a green society and its role as an international model for sustainable urban development.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: April 3, 2026
Direct answer
Yokohama City has been recognized as the only Japanese city among the UN's top 20 global leaders in waste reduction. The selection highlights Yokohama's significant achievements in reducing waste by 50% despite population growth, alongside its innovative policies and citizen engagement initiatives. This recognition underscores Yokohama's commitment to a green society and its role as an international model for sustainable urban development.
- Citation
- Yokohama City Selected as the Only Japanese City Among the UN's Top 20 Global Cities for Waste Reduction! (April 3, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- April 3, 2026
Yokohama City has been recognized as the only Japanese city among the UN's top 20 global leaders in waste reduction. The selection highlights Yokohama's significant achievements in reducing waste by 50% despite population growth, alongside its innovative policies and citizen engagement initiatives. This recognition underscores Yokohama's commitment to a green society and its role as an international model for sustainable urban development.
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- 📰 Published: April 3, 2026 at 00:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 2, 2026 at 19:36
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 17, 2026 at 10:50 (351h 14m after Collected)
The "Advisory Board on Zero Waste" ※1, established by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, has been soliciting and selecting leading cities for "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste" to introduce exemplary practices in waste reduction and circular urban development and promote their adoption by other cities.
On March 27th (local time), at the Zero Waste International Day commemorative event ※2 held at UN Headquarters in New York, the 20 cities ※3 were announced, with Yokohama City being the sole selection from Japan. Concurrently, Yokohama City's policies and initiatives towards a green society have been highlighted as an international best practice on the UN's website. [Yokohama's Selection Points and Background]
Yokohama City was selected as an extremely outstanding city by the Zero Waste Advisory Board, which evaluated waste policies and initiatives of cities worldwide across nine items※4, including sustainability, citizen participation, partnerships, and technological innovation. In particular, Yokohama's achievements in reducing waste by 50% despite a roughly 10% increase in population, with the cooperation of its citizens and businesses, and projects like STYLE100, which disseminates innovative lifestyles of environmentally friendly citizens and businesses, have received high praise for policies and initiatives towards realizing a green society.
Yokohama City has actively conveyed its voice to the international community, including the United Nations, by having Mayor Yamanaka directly meet with UN Secretary-General Guterres in August 2025 to introduce Yokohama's green policies.
※1 [UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste]
This board is composed of 12 experts established in 2023 based on a UN General Assembly resolution. It promotes policies, raises awareness, and disseminates success stories for global waste reduction and the transition to a circular economy. The secretariat is jointly managed by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
As part of the board's initiatives, the "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste" were selected for the first time.
UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste homepage (English only)
<https://unhabitat.org/advisoryboardzerowaste>
※2 [Zero Waste International Day Commemorative Event]
Zero Waste International Day was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in December 2022 and is an official UN commemorative day held annually on March 30th to promote waste reduction and sustainable consumption and production. Themes are set annually, with 2026 focusing on "Food Waste."
On March 27, 2026, a high-level meeting was held as part of the Zero Waste International Day commemorative event at UN Headquarters in New York, where board member Carlos Silva Filho of the Zero Waste Advisory Board announced "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste."
※3 [Leading 20 Cities "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste"] [Source] "Advisory Board on Zero Waste" webpage
https://unhabitat.org/advisoryboardzerowaste
※4 [Selection Criteria for "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste"]
Cities were selected based on evaluations according to the following nine criteria:
① Impact and Sustainability
② Public Relations and Citizen Awareness
③ Urban-Level Policies
④ Partnerships and Cooperation
⑤ Inclusivity and Social Equity
⑥ Innovation and Technology
⑦ Financial Sustainability
⑧ Scalability and Transition
⑨ Monitoring and Reporting
On March 27th (local time), at the Zero Waste International Day commemorative event ※2 held at UN Headquarters in New York, the 20 cities ※3 were announced, with Yokohama City being the sole selection from Japan. Concurrently, Yokohama City's policies and initiatives towards a green society have been highlighted as an international best practice on the UN's website. [Yokohama's Selection Points and Background]
Yokohama City was selected as an extremely outstanding city by the Zero Waste Advisory Board, which evaluated waste policies and initiatives of cities worldwide across nine items※4, including sustainability, citizen participation, partnerships, and technological innovation. In particular, Yokohama's achievements in reducing waste by 50% despite a roughly 10% increase in population, with the cooperation of its citizens and businesses, and projects like STYLE100, which disseminates innovative lifestyles of environmentally friendly citizens and businesses, have received high praise for policies and initiatives towards realizing a green society.
Yokohama City has actively conveyed its voice to the international community, including the United Nations, by having Mayor Yamanaka directly meet with UN Secretary-General Guterres in August 2025 to introduce Yokohama's green policies.
※1 [UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste]
This board is composed of 12 experts established in 2023 based on a UN General Assembly resolution. It promotes policies, raises awareness, and disseminates success stories for global waste reduction and the transition to a circular economy. The secretariat is jointly managed by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
As part of the board's initiatives, the "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste" were selected for the first time.
UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste homepage (English only)
<https://unhabitat.org/advisoryboardzerowaste>
※2 [Zero Waste International Day Commemorative Event]
Zero Waste International Day was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in December 2022 and is an official UN commemorative day held annually on March 30th to promote waste reduction and sustainable consumption and production. Themes are set annually, with 2026 focusing on "Food Waste."
On March 27, 2026, a high-level meeting was held as part of the Zero Waste International Day commemorative event at UN Headquarters in New York, where board member Carlos Silva Filho of the Zero Waste Advisory Board announced "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste."
※3 [Leading 20 Cities "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste"] [Source] "Advisory Board on Zero Waste" webpage
https://unhabitat.org/advisoryboardzerowaste
※4 [Selection Criteria for "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste"]
Cities were selected based on evaluations according to the following nine criteria:
① Impact and Sustainability
② Public Relations and Citizen Awareness
③ Urban-Level Policies
④ Partnerships and Cooperation
⑤ Inclusivity and Social Equity
⑥ Innovation and Technology
⑦ Financial Sustainability
⑧ Scalability and Transition
⑨ Monitoring and Reporting
FAQ
Which city in Japan was selected by the United Nations as part of the 20 Cities Towards Zero Waste initiative and when was it announced?
Yokohama City was the only Japanese city selected for the UN's 20 Cities Towards Zero Waste initiative, announced on March 27th at a UN event in New York.
What international body selected Yokohama City for its waste reduction efforts and what is its official name?
The UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste, established in 2023 with 12 global experts, selected Yokohama City for its outstanding waste reduction policies.
What specific achievements in waste reduction has Yokohama City accomplished despite population growth?
Yokohama City reduced its waste by 50% despite a 10% population increase, achieved through citizen and business cooperation in sustainable waste management practices.
What is the name of Yokohama City's project that promotes environmentally friendly lifestyles among citizens and businesses?
The STYLE100 project in Yokohama City showcases and disseminates innovative, eco-friendly lifestyles adopted by citizens and local businesses to support a green society.
How did Yokohama City's leadership engage directly with the United Nations to promote its green policies?
Yokohama Mayor Yamanaka met directly with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in August 2025 to present the city's green policies and waste reduction achievements.