In cooperation with the Government of Sweden and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Workshop on Community-Level Actions for Global Environmental Agenda from 27 Feb – 3 March in Tokyo, Japan.

At the ASEM Workshop, environmental policy experts from the governments and the local authorities in ASEM countries exchanged views on how to build a sound material-cycle society through the promotion of 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Initiative, and also on the role of local governments in curbing global warming. The participants also visited Kawagoe and Yorii in Saitama Prefecture.

At the 7th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (ASEM FMM7) held in Kyoto in May last year, Japan and Sweden jointly proposed the holding of the Workshop. It was expected to contribute to the development of substantive Asia-Europe cooperation in the field of sustainable development (including environment and energy security).