The City of Yokohama and ICLEI Japan (the Japan office of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability) co-hosted the Asia-Pacific Circular Cities (APCC) Forum 2026 in Yokohama from September 2 to 4. The inaugural forum brought together 52 municipalities and organizations from Japan and overseas.
Over 16 sessions held on September 3 and 4 at Pacifico Yokohama North, representatives from participating municipalities and organizations were joined by corporate representatives and students to discuss pathways for Asia’s transition to circular cities. At the closing session on September 4, three outcomes were announced.
The first was the expansion of signatory cities under the Asia Circular Cities Declaration (ACCD), an international framework for advancing circular cities. ICLEI Japan announced the following 17 new signatory cities:
- Japan: Kobe City
- India: Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Kochi Municipal Corporation
- Indonesia: Jayapura City, Probolinggo City
- Nepal: Damauli Municipality, Dhankuta Municipality, Tilottama Municipality, Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, Pokhara Metropolitan City
- Pakistan: Rawalpindi City
- Bangladesh: Kushtia City, Sripur Municipality, Barisal City
- Philippines: Cebu Province, Danao City
- Malaysia: George Town
With these additions, the number of ACCD signatory cities has grown from 26 cities across 7 countries (representing a population of over 57 million) to 43 cities across 11 countries (representing a population of over 82 million).
The second outcome was the release of “ACCD Action 2026,” the first-ever action plan under the ACCD. Based on the results of a survey of initiatives that ICLEI Japan conducted among ACCD signatory cities, three working groups will be established:
- ACCD Good Practices Working Group: to collect and share good practice examples, aiming to publish 50 case studies by 2027
- ACCD Solution Matching/Co-creation Working Group: to promote the adoption of private-sector solutions by cities and recruit partner companies
- ACCD Progress Management Working Group: to organize methods for tracking ACCD progress and provide training for signatory cities
ICLEI Japan, which serves as the ACCD Secretariat, will also promote multi-layered collaboration with national governments and international organizations to create new opportunities for signatory cities, while strengthening ties with organizations such as the European Circular Cities Declaration. The Secretariat further plans to invite more cities to join the ACCD, seek cooperation from international organizations and foundations to realize projects that strengthen the ACCD, consider introducing a mechanism for private-sector participation (ACCD Partners), and continue publishing and promoting ACCD reports.
The third outcome was the launch of the “Student Project Spreading from Yokohama across Asia and the Pacific,” aimed at bringing the voices of the next generation to a global audience ahead of the 9th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-9), which will be held alongside the APCC Forum in 2027.
At the closing ceremony, Deputy Mayor Jun Matsuura of the City of Yokohama, representing the host organizations, welcomed the fact that the ACCD—launched in Yokohama last year—had taken a step forward with the release of its action plan. He announced that next year’s APCC Forum would be scaled up and held during the Yokohama Green Expo. He also indicated plans to designate the period from August 30 to September 3, 2027 as “Yokohama Circular Week,” creating an opportunity for people involved in the circular economy from Japan and abroad to gather in Yokohama. Kazuhiko Takemoto, Chair of ICLEI Japan and co-host of the forum, expressed his intention to advance ACCD activities together with the 43 signatory cities—including the 17 newly added—and to contribute to realizing a circular society in Asia.
[Press Release] Transition to Circular Cities Advances at Yokohama’s First APCC Forum, with the First-Ever Action Plan Announced under the Asia Circular Cities Declaration (ACCD)
[Reference Site] APCC Forum 2026
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