– ICLEI Japan Member Information –

Kawasaki City

Message from the Mayor of Kawasaki City

Norihiko Fukuda

Through the concerted effort of both the public and private sectors, Kawasaki City has taken on the challenge of addressing the pollution problems that arose in the wake of its rapid economic growth. We have created an environmentally friendly city that is now a model for the rest of the world. Kawasaki is home to a large number of environmental technologies and industries, and its citizens and businesses have a high level of environmental awareness, as demonstrated by the fact that the city has had the lowest daily waste per capita of any government-designated city for three consecutive years. Taking advantage of this potential, we will promote initiatives as an SDGs Future City aimed at making Kawasaki the “Happiest City” where growth and maturity are balanced.

In order to pass on an environment in which future generations can live with peace of mind, the city announced in February 2020 that it would aim to achieve virtually zero CO2 emissions by 2050. We are promoting initiatives in collaboration with numerous actors based on our decarbonization strategy, ‘Kawasaki Carbon Zero Challenge 2050.’

In the future, we will continue to exchange information with the participating cities of ICLEI and promote cooperation that is not limited to within the city boundaries. As a frontrunner in Japan, we will lead the efforts to realize a decarbonized society.

Overview of Kawasaki City

Kawasaki is conveniently located in the centre of the Tokyo metropolitan area on the opposite side of the Tama River from Haneda Airport. It is bordered to the north across the Tama River by Tokyo and to the south by Yokohama, with the Tama Hills to the west and Tokyo Bay to the east.

Kawasaki is a vibrant city. It has the highest population growth rate and the youngest average age among Japan’s major cities. The city is also home to the King Sky Front, an international strategic hub for the city of Tonomachi, located on the other side of Haneda Airport, where research and development in the life science and environmental fields are underway. Furthermore, the city is home to world-class companies, three science parks, and more than 400 research and development institutions. It ranks first among ordinance-designated cities in the ratio of workers in academic and development research institutions to total workers.

Basic Information

1,556,975

Population
(As of 1 May 2025)

144.35㎢

Area

kawasaki City Website

Environmental Initiatives

In November 2020, Kawasaki City formulated a decarbonization strategy. The ‘Kawasaki Carbon Zero Challenge 2050’ will accelerate the efforts of citizens, businesses, and government to transition to a decarbonized society in 2050. The basic idea of this strategy is to move from a society of consumption to a decarbonized society.

The initiatives are based on the following three pillars:

Pillar1️⃣: Promote behavioral change in citizens and businesses through the ‘Decarbonization Action Mizonokuchi’ plan. Implement initiatives that contribute to decarbonization to tackle climate change mitigation and adaptation through the participation and cooperation of all actors.

Pillar2️⃣: For Kawasaki to take the lead in taking action, such as switching all electricity used in major public facilities to renewable energy.

Pillar3️⃣: Promote green innovation originating in Kawasaki by making the most of the city’s strengths – the many research and development institutions and the concentration of environmental technologies and industries. To include the use of hydrogen power in the waterfront area.

Kawasaki is promoting these efforts in collaboration with a variety of actors, including citizens and businesses that agree with the decarbonization strategy.

Zero emission development

Sustainable Energy in Action

Since April 2025, Kawasaki has mandated the installation of solar panels on new buildings. As part of its Five Major Projects under the Kawasaki City Basic Plan for the Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures, the city launched the Integrated Promotion Project for Building Solar Power Generating Equipment.
Kawasaki allocated 800 million yen in subsidies for fiscal 2025, nearly quadrupling the previous year’s budget.

Learn more

Nature-based development

Kawasaki Showcases Nature-Based Urban Leadership in South Korea

On October 23–24, 2025, the Yeoncheon Global Forum on Peace with Nature was held in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea.
Kawasaki presented its collaborative urban greening efforts and introduced the Green KAWASAKI Declaration (April 2025), outlining its vision for a more sustainable city.

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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
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Click here to view a full list of our associate partners

All India Institute of Local Self Government
Center for Environmental Studies Foundation
Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board
China Center for Urban Development (CCUD)
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
Council of Wards in Tokyo
Fondation Biladi pour le Developpement Durable
German Federal Association for Sustainability
The Guangzhou Award
ICDI - International Climate Development Institute
IGOB-lnteressengemeinschaft okologische Beschaffung
International Association for Medina-Mary
Local Government Network-LG Net
National Institute of Urban Affairs
National Procurement Ltd.- Denmark
Natureparif
North-West University, Potchefstroom
RADP - Rural Area Development Programme
Selenyi Kirov
Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition
Taiwan Environmental Action Network
TCO Development
The Ideas Bank Foundation
VITO-Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek
Water Research Commission

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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