Internship Program 2026: Interns Present Their Achievements at ICLEI Japan
Site Visit to Musashino City (1) 
Site Visit to Musashino City (2) 
Policy Exchange with Kawasaki City 
Site Visit to Kawasaki City 
Site Visit to Yokohama City (1) 
Site Visit to Yokohama City (2) 
Site Visit to Yokohama City (3) 
Site Visit to Yokohama City (4) 
Site Visit to Yokohama City (5) 
APCC Forum (1) 
APCC Forum (2) 
Osaka Workshop (1) 
Osaka Workshop (2) 
Osaka Workshop (3) 
Internship Program Presentations 
Internship Program Presentations Since July 2026, ICLEI Japan has hosted two interns from Taiwan, Shih Hung-Ju (Shih) and Chang Yu-Hsuan (YuShuan), through an internship program designed to deepen their understanding of sustainable urban development initiatives undertaken by local governments and their efforts through international networks.
At ICLEI Japan, the interns researched initiatives implemented by Japanese local governments, compared approaches in Japan and Taiwan, and explored the potential for adapting and implementing similar initiatives in Taiwanese local governments.
The interns also participated in a program at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), where they conducted research on agricultural plastic waste issues in Taiwan.
Workshop in Japan for Korean Local Governments
ICLEI Korea Office organized a workshop in Japan for Korean local governments, focusing on the development of circular cities.
The two interns served as the main points of contact for ICLEI Japan, coordinating communications with the ICLEI Korea Office, participating local governments, and companies. They also played an important role in making the necessary arrangements for the successful implementation of the workshop.
In addition, they participated in the APCC Forum 2026, where they assisted with participant registration and session support.
Musashino City
On August 31, the interns visited the Musashino Clean Center, where they learned about the waste management process and the history of the facility’s redevelopment, which was planned through ongoing dialogue and discussions with residents.
They were also introduced to specific initiatives undertaken by Musashino City, including the smart waste bin system “SmaGO”, and participated in an exchange of views with officials from Korean local governments.
Kawasaki City
On September 1, the interns visited Kawasaki City and Resonac Corporation. In Kawasaki City, they learned about the development of the Kawasaki Eco-Town, the city’s initiatives on plastic recycling, and the Kawasaki Zero-Emission Industrial Park. They also participated in an exchange of views with officials from Korean local governments.
At Resonac Corporation, home to one of Japan’s largest chemical recycling facilities, the interns toured the plastic shredding and molding equipment, as well as the gasification facilities used to recycle waste plastics.
The City of Yokohama
On September 2, the interns visited the Kanazawa Recyclable Resource Separation Center in Yokohama, where they observed a demonstration of an AI-powered automated sorting robot for beverage containers.
They also visited BankPark YOKOHAMA, a collaborative hub supporting the transition to a circular economy in the city. During the visit, they learned about various initiatives, including SDGs lockers and the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from used cooking oil. After the visits, they exchanged views on the Yokohama SDGs Design Center’s initiatives and the transition toward circular cities.
Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum (APCC Forum)
The interns also participated in the APCC Forum, held in Yokohama on September 3–4. They assisted with registration for signatory cities of the Asian Circular Cities Declaration (ACCD) and provided operational support for various sessions throughout the forum.
Osaka Workshop
From September 14 to 16, the interns participated in the “Behavioural Insights for Better Waste Management Workshop,” organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Osaka. During the workshop, they explored waste management challenges from various perspectives, including behavioural science, data utilization, and financial considerations.
As part of the study visits, they also visited Kansai Recycling Systems Co., Ltd. and Eishin Kaihatsu Co., Ltd., where they toured facilities for home appliance recycling and plastic recycling.
Internship Program Presentations
On October 8, a presentation session was held at the ICLEI Japan office to showcase the outcomes of the internship program.
Shih presented advanced initiatives in renewable energy and plastic recycling undertaken by local governments across Asia, including Japan, which she had learned about through the ICLEI program. She also compared local governance systems in Taiwan and Japan, concluding that Taiwan could draw on Japan’s experiences while developing frameworks suited to the specific circumstances of its local governments.
Through the IGES program, Shih also conducted research on agricultural plastic issues in Taiwan and reported on key challenges identified through the workshop and study visits in Osaka.
YuShuan focused on the theme of “Circular Economy and Cities,” sharing insights gained through the ICLEI program on ICLEI’s role in this field, its impact on local governments, and sustainable initiatives undertaken by Japanese municipalities.
Through the IGES program, YuShuan also researched the potential impacts of microplastics in Taiwan’s agricultural environment on human health through food consumption. Based on her findings, she highlighted the importance of prioritizing science-based food monitoring and concluded that policies are needed to support the establishment of standards for future health risk assessments.
Throughout the internship, both interns gained valuable knowledge and skills beyond the program’s core objectives, including insights into differences between Japanese and Taiwanese workplace cultures. It is hoped that they will apply the knowledge and skills acquired through this program to contribute to the development of various fields in Taiwan.
