Sustainable Brands Japan, a media outlet covering corporate sustainability, has published a report on the Asia-Pacific Circular Cities (APCC) Forum 2026. The forum was held in Yokohama on September 3 and 4, hosted by the City of Yokohama and co-hosted by ICLEI Japan. Yu Kato, Representative Director of Artiql, moderated the Business Sector Session on September 4, which focused on industrial transformation toward a circular economy and the role of cities.
The forum was an international conference attended by 52 local governments and organizations, mostly from Asia, as well as companies and students. At the closing session, it was announced that the Asian Circular Cities Declaration (ACCD) now has 43 signatory cities in 11 countries, with a combined population of over 82 million. The first action plan, “ACCD Action 2026,” was also announced.
The session Kato moderated brought together four companies: Takenaka Corporation, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., RECOTECH Inc., and Tetra Pak Japan. They shared the challenges they face in the transition to a circular economy. Kato described the challenges each company raised as stemming from markets that have yet to take shape.
Sustainable Brands (SB) is a global community founded in the United States in 2006. By making sustainability the foundation of a brand, it aims to strengthen corporate competitiveness and brand value and, by connecting brands with society, to help create a sustainable future.
In Japan, SB operates as Sustainable Brands Japan and has held its international conference every year since 2017. The 10th conference, held in February 2026, drew a total of 4,545 participants and more than 200 speakers. Business, local government, academia, and the next generation gather there to discuss the future of sustainability and brands.
Sustainable Brands Japan (in Japanese) also delivers news from Japan and abroad, interviews on initiatives by companies and government agencies, and expert columns on corporate sustainability.
The report is available at the link below.
Reference: Sustainable Brands Japan, “From declaration to action: APCC Forum 2026 held in Yokohama, a step toward circular cities” (in Japanese)