In January 2025, Kuala Lumpur City joined ICLEI. As the capital of Malaysia and an important economic and cultural center, the city is driving ambitious climate targets under the leadership of Mayor Maimunah Sharif.

Kuala Lumpur City is implementing a city-to-city collaboration project with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Saitama City, Japan, entitled ‘Developing an Institutional Framework Towards Kuala Lumpur Zero Carbon City and Neighbourhood in Collaboration with Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Saitama City’.

In addition, the following ICLEI member local governments in Japan are actively working with Malaysian local governments.

• Kawasaki City: Water resources management support project for building a sustainable resource-recycling society in Penang State, Malaysia (JICA Grassroots Project)
• Kitakyushu City: Iskandar Development Region
• Kyoto City: A facility for Environmental Education and Environmental Conservation Activities (hereafter Eco-center) in Johor Bahru City (JICA Grassroots Project)
• Toyama City: Initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050 in both Iskandar Region and Kota Kinabalu City

Kuala Lumpur’s accession to ICLEI is expected to deepen relations between Japan and Malaysia.