Parliamentary Vice-Minister Satomi Attends the 4th ASEAN-Japan Smart Cities Network High Level Meeting

1. The 4th ASEAN-Japan Smart Cities Network High Level Meeting (hereinafter referred to as the "high level meeting")

The 4th high level meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Fukushima Prefecture. This meeting brought together representatives of nine ASEAN Member States, including vice-minister and director-general level officials responsible for infrastructure, those of the cities chosen for the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN),* and those of Japanese companies, municipalities and governmental organizations. Its aim was to encourage these economies and cities to cooperate further through the ASCN. (The meeting was held in person and online).
The high level meeting provided briefings on cooperation efforts between ASEAN cities and Japan, explanations of outstanding case examples of efforts by Japanese companies and cities, business matching events between ASEAN cities and Japanese companies, and other occasions.

Note: The ASCN is an initiative launched by ASEAN that was inaugurated under the leadership of Singapore, the 2018 ASEAN chair. The initiative aims to promote cooperation toward the development of smart cities. Twenty-six model cities from ten ASEAN Member States were selected.

2. Speech by Parliamentary Vice-Minister Satomi (video message)

At the opening ceremony of the high level meeting, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Satomi delivered a speech in the form of a video message in which he explained Japan's smart city initiatives, including those in the areas of energy, mobility, and healthcare. He also explained METI's support measures to give impetus to the smart city projects, such as a feasibility study on quality infrastructures and international demonstration projects by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). He also expressed his hopes that participants from ASEAN cities will observe the progress of Fukushima Prefecture's reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake by visiting the Fukushima Robot Test Field, Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, and other places.

Related Links

• Website: The 4th ASEAN-Japan Smart Cities Network High Level Meeting
• Website: ASEAN Smart Cities Network

Division in Charge

Trade Promotion Division, Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau