Speech at “Le Comité d'Échanges Franco-Japonais,” October 23rd, 2017

While participating in the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and CityLab 2017, in Paris, France, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike gave a speech at the Comité d'Échanges Franco-Japonais on October 23rd, 2017.

Governor Koike introduced a number of initiatives, including inter-city cooperation and exchange between Tokyo and Paris, measures to increase the city’s potential by becoming a “Smart City”, and the various preparations for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

On partnership between the two cities, the governor stated that “Paris and Tokyo have had a long-lasting and positive partnership,” and “have worked and learned together” since establishing their friendship-city relationship in 1982. As an example of such collaboration, she spoke about the “Tandem 2018” project - a cultural exchange between Tokyo and Parisian participants that will facilitate cultural learning.

The governor then reiterated her goal of creating a “New Tokyo” that is three cities in one: A Safe City, a Diverse City and a Smart City.

Highlighting the Smart City initiatives, Governor Koike focused on the “Tokyo Financial Big Bang,” a new plan aiming to restore Tokyo as Asia’s financial center. She explained various initiatives to make the city more appealing to international businesses, and encouraged more foreign companies to come to Tokyo. Such initiatives include a “financial one-stop support service” which provides integrated solutions to help international financial firms resolve the issues they may face when setting up in Japan.

Underscoring the concept of environmental, social governance (ESG), Governor Koike explained that Tokyo will issue about JPY 20 billion in Tokyo Green Bonds this year, which will help to procure capital for investment in environmental initiatives.

Furthermore, Governor Koike stated that by 2030, Tokyo has set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emission by 30% compared to levels from the year 2000 based on the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement. She also explained that since FY2010, Tokyo has been using a cap-and-trade program for large-scale business facilities, the world’s first city-level cap to lower CO2 emissions. The Governor added that the TMG’s ultimate goal is to establish Tokyo as a “Zero Emissions” city, with no CO2 emissions at all.

The Governor said that the Tokyo 2020 Games will also emphasize sustainability, and she hopes to use this opportunity to show the world a model sustainable society. She explained that Tokyo plans to implement hydrogen energy supply systems within the Olympic Village, utilizing CO2–free hydrogen from Fukushima, an area damaged from the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

In addition, Governor Koike spoke about the partnership with Tokyo 2020 to utilize the “urban mine” to collect old mobile phones and small electronic devices to recycle into medals for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

After invoking the spirit of mottainai and noting that it “conveys in a single word the ‘3Rs’ concept of reduce, reuse, and recycle, while also expressing respect for things that can still be utilized,” the governor followed up with an introduction of how to wrap something using a furoshiki.

Governor Koike concluded her speech with remarks about the similarities between Tokyo and Paris, including the Olympics, sports, culture, and environmental awareness. She stated: “I am eager to make the Tokyo 2020 Games a success, and, with great conviction, pass the baton to Paris.”