LAHORE: Yokohama and Punjab have agreed on “city-to-city” cooperation in various fields including environment protection and providing modern development systems to cities, said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during her visit to Japan’s commercial, economic and cultural centre, Yokohama, on Monday.

The CM discussed how to bring the construction quality of roads and buildings in Punjab on a par with that of Japan. She also discussed various possibilities of cooperation between Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda) and Yokohama.

Possibility of cooperation in running a high-speed train between Lahore and Islamabad, besides upgrade of railway infrastructure in Punjab was discussed. She also reviewed the latest Japanese chairlift and air cabin projects.

‘Kun-Hun -- the three cities of Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama are located in a region called industrial zone of Japan, she was briefed by the authorities concerned. Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan in terms of population, and in May 2025, the annual conference of Asian Development Bank declared Yokohama the most developed city in Asia in terms of environmental improvement.

Maryam, who has been on a five-day visit there, said Japan’s modern technology and methods would be used for sewage and waste management in Punjab. She also visited the largest wastewater treatment plant there.

She was given a briefing on methods of collecting garbage and waste water along with waste disposal systems of Japanese cities. “Yokohama Waste Treatment Plant is also operating several plants that generate energy from waste. This energy is used for heating systems for the local population. Yokohama Waste Treatment Plant is an ideal institution for disposal of waste using modern technology and methods.”

She was told that despite being an industrial city, Yokohama was at the top of highest environmental standards. She said its environmental and urban development model would be replicated in Punjab.

She also visited different parts of the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse whose new name is ‘Newport Pier Bonded Warehouse’ because of its location along the port. She also visited a centre for teaching skills to children, under community welfare in the warehouse.

She interacted with the children making things from paper and other materials. The children showed her various examples of their creative talents. “We want to develop Lahore on the model of Yokohama,” she said.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025