About ICLEI Japan

Founded in 1993, ICLEI Japan serves as the country office of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, dedicated to connecting and empowering local governments across Japan. Today, we have 26 active member cities leading Japan’s local sustainability initiatives.

We support our members in driving impactful local sustainability initiatives while fostering global collaboration with other ICLEI offices and partner organizations, advancing both regional and international climate and sustainability goals.

Meet Our Members

ICLEI Japan Leadership

ICLEI Japan is guided by a distinguished leadership team committed to advancing sustainable urban development and climate action. Bringing together experienced leaders from local governments and academia, the leadership provides strategic direction and fosters collaboration among member cities.

Prof. Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto Chair, ICLEI Japan; President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) Japan
Prof. Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto
Chair, ICLEI Japan; President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) Japan
Chair, ICLEI Japan

Dr. Takemoto developed policies on sustainable development and the global environment as Director-General of the Environmental Management Bureau and Vice-Minister for Global Environment Affairs of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ). He served for CBD/COP10 as its Alternate President (2010), OECD/EPOC as Vice Chair (2004–07), and UNFCCC/COP3 as Special Assistant to its President (1997).
After serving for the United Nations University as the Director of its Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Prof. Takemoto has been fully committed to international cooperation on environment and development as President of the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) and the International Lake Environmental Committee Foundation (ILEC), Project Professor of the University of Tokyo (IFI) and Chair of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Council.
Prof. Takemoto has published two books, International Cooperation on Environment and Development: Progress and Future Perspective (2022) and Environmental Policy and the SDGs (2020). He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo.

Gino Van Begin
ICLEI Secretary General
Gino Van Begin
ICLEI Secretary General

Gino Van Begin has been the distinguished Secretary General of ICLEI since 2013. Before that, he served as ICLEI Regional Director for Europe and as Deputy Secretary General. He has ensured ICLEI performs as a responsible, forward-looking, not-for-profit local and regional government organization serving its Members worldwide. Gino Van Begin graduated with a law degree from the University of Brussels as a lawyer and speaks Dutch, French, English, German, and Russian. For more information, please visit his full profile here.

[email protected]
Yuriko Koike Governor, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Yuriko Koike
Governor, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Please find Governor Koike’s message here.

Koji Matsui Mayor, City of Kyoto; Chair, ICLEI East Asia Regional Executive Committee
Koji Matsui
Mayor, City of Kyoto; Chair, ICLEI East Asia Regional Executive Committee

Please find Mayor Matsui’s message here.

Kazuhisa Takeuchi Mayor, City of Kitakyushu
Kazuhisa Takeuchi
Mayor, City of Kitakyushu

Please find Mayor Takeuchi’s message here.

Kazumi Matsui Mayor, City of Hiroshima
Kazumi Matsui
Mayor, City of Hiroshima

Please find Mayor Matsui’s message here.

Takeharu Yamanaka Mayor, City of Yokohama; ICLEI Global Executive Committee (Circular Development Portfolio)
Takeharu Yamanaka
Mayor, City of Yokohama; ICLEI Global Executive Committee (Circular Development Portfolio)

Please find Mayor Yamanaka’s message here.

Yasuhiro Omino Mayor, City of Musashino
Yasuhiro Omino
Mayor, City of Musashino

Please find Mayor Omino’s message here.

Prof. Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto Chair, ICLEI Japan; President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) Japan
Prof. Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto
Chair, ICLEI Japan; President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) Japan
Chair, ICLEI Japan

Dr. Takemoto developed policies on sustainable development and the global environment as Director-General of the Environmental Management Bureau and Vice-Minister for Global Environment Affairs of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ). He served for CBD/COP10 as its Alternate President (2010), OECD/EPOC as Vice Chair (2004–07), and UNFCCC/COP3 as Special Assistant to its President (1997).
After serving for the United Nations University as the Director of its Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Prof. Takemoto has been fully committed to international cooperation on environment and development as President of the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) and the International Lake Environmental Committee Foundation (ILEC), Project Professor of the University of Tokyo (IFI) and Chair of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Council.
Prof. Takemoto has published two books, International Cooperation on Environment and Development: Progress and Future Perspective (2022) and Environmental Policy and the SDGs (2020). He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo.

Togo Uchida Executive Director, ICLEI Japan
Togo Uchida
Executive Director, ICLEI Japan
Executive Director, ICLEI Japan

Born in the UK and growing up in Melbourne and Tokyo, Togo started his career at Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), working on donor coordination and aid policies. Gradually, his interest shifted to environmental policies and climate change, and he spent over 8 years in Thailand and Cambodia as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Project Formulation Adviser on Climate Change and Environment.
After serving one year at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) as Programme Manager for promoting SDGs in cities in ASEAN countries, Togo has assumed the position of the Director of ICLEI Japan from July 1st, 2018.

FEATURED CITY

Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

On 9 September 2025, Fukushima Prefecture became the 26th local government in Japan to join ICLEI.
Fukushima is actively working toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In terms of nature conservation, Lake Inawashiro in the prefecture was registered under the Ramsar Convention this July, and efforts towards its preservation are progressing. Fukushima decided to join ICLEI out of a strong desire to share its recovery experience and carbon-neutral initiatives with the world, while also strengthening partnerships with cities worldwide.

Learn more
ICLEI World Secretariat
Kaiser-Friedrich-Str. 7
53113 Bonn
Germany
T: +49-228/97 62 99-00
 Email: iclei.org
Africa
Africa Secretariat
africa.iclei.org
Europe
Private: Europe Secretariat
Leopoldring 3
79098 Freiburg, Germany
iclei-europe.org
Private: Brussels Office
Av. de Tervuren 35
1040 Bruxelles
Belgium
Private: Berlin Office
East Asia
Private: East Asia Secretariat
14/F, Seoul Global Center Building, 38 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (110-110)
eastasia.iclei.org
Japan Office
1-14-2 Nishi-Shimbashi,
Minato-ku
Tokyo, Japan 105-0003
japan.iclei.org
Private: Korea Office
(16429) 3F, Suwon Research Institute,
126, Suin-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon-si,
Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
icleikorea.org
Private: Kaohsiung Capacity Center
4F. No.436, Daye N. Rd.
Xiaogang Dist.
Kaohsiung City 812
Taiwan (R.O.C.)
icleikcc.org
North America
Private: USA Office
536 Wynkoop St.
Suite 901
Denver, Colorado
USA 80202
icleiusa.org
Private: Canada Office
401 Richmond St. W
Studio 204
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 3A8, Canada
icleicanada.org
Southeast Asia・South Asia
Southeast Asia Secretariat
c/o The Manila Observatory Ateneo de Manila University Campus Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1101 Manila, Philippines
icleiseas.org
Private: South Asia Secretariat
Ground Floor, NSIC-STP Complex NSIC Bhawan, Okhla Industrial Estate New Delhi – 110020, India
southasia.iclei.org
Oceania
Private: Oceania Secretariat
Level 1, 200 Little Collins Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
icleioceania.org
Mexico, Central American and Caribbean Secretariat
iclei.org.mx
Associate Partnership
Tabs Opener

Associate Partnership is available to non-governmental organizations, universities, state and national government agencies and not-for-profit research institutions. The purpose of Associate Partnership is to facilitate dialogues between local governments and these partners, to provide knowledge transfer in line with ICLEI’s Mission and Charter, and an avenue for which partners can support ICLEI’s work and mandate.

HARNESS the power of the ICLEI Network! " Governments need to give (the sense of) direction, as Business leaders we don't make the wind, we sail the boats. So policy should set the winds in the right directions if you want the boat going fast to the right harbor." Philippe Joubert Senior Advisor, World Business Council
on Sustainable Development
Click here to view a full list of our associate partners
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Rates and Dues

Application Form

Eva Madeira Head of ICLEI Global Membership & Governance

Got any questions? I will be happy to assist. Please contact me at iclei(at)iclei.org

ICLEI membership application

Joining ICLEI means connecting to more than 2,500 local and regional governments as well as technical experts and a diversity community of partners worldwide. ICLEI Members actively engage with their peers through conferences, workshops, webinars and online platforms and take advantage of our connections with businesses, financial institutions and other implementation partners that help strengthen innovation and resourcing.

Eva Madeira Head of ICLEI Global Membership & Governance

Got any questions? I will be happy to assist. Please contact me at iclei(at)iclei.org

Want to be a model?
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Eva Madeira Head of ICLEI Global Membership & Governance

Got any questions? I will be happy to assist. Please contact me at iclei(at)iclei.org

ICLEI membership online application form
Tabs Opener
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Fee Structure

Benefits

Eva Madeira Head of ICLEI Global Membership & Governance

Got any questions? I will be happy to assist. Please contact me at iclei(at)iclei.org