Policy Planning Division, Planning and Coordination Department, Yonezawa City The “SDGs Conference” hosted by Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, an SDGs future city, is incandescent! Discussing the creation of a local SDGs platform with the support of the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of the Environment
How did Yonezawa, an SDGs future city, launch a local SDGs platform?
Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture (Mayor: Masaru Nakagawa), an SDGs future city, held the “Yonezawa SDGs Conference” online on the night of November 28, 2022 (Monday) with the support of the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of the Environment. With the theme of creating a platform for local SDGs, Mr. Shugo Yanaka, Professor of BBT
University, and Mr. Shinjiro Sasaki, Director of Regional Circulation and Ecological Sphere Promotion Office, Ministry of the Environment, were invited as guest speakers. We invited Mr. Zuka and Mr. Atsushi Hamada, the representative of Hamada Farm, and from the city, Yumeto Ito, Advisor for SDGs Promotion, and Yuki Ozaki, Policy Planning Division, took the podium. In 2021, Yonezawa City was selected as an initiative group for the Cabinet Office’s “SDGs Future City” and the Ministry of the Environment’s “Regional Circulation and Ecological Sphere Creation Platform”, with the aim of sharing knowledge on creating an SDGs platform throughout Japan. I’m here.
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Yonezawa SDGs Conference 2022 ~Creating a platform for local SDGs~ [Organizer] Yonezawa City
[Support] Cabinet Office, Ministry of the Environment
[Date] November 28, 2022 (Monday) 19:00-20:30
[Format] Zoom webinar
Below is a report of the day.
▼ Opening remarks “Vision of Yonezawa SDGs”
Masaru Nakagawa | Mayor of Yonezawa City
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Mayor of Yonezawa City Masaru Nakagawa
Masaru Nakagawa, Mayor of Yonezawa City, who gave the opening address, emphasized the necessity of working on community development in Yonezawa while making use of the spirituality of Lord Yozan Uesugi, who can be said to be a pioneer of the SDGs.
He also said that by widely disseminating the examples of companies working on SDGs in Yonezawa City and the efforts of Yonezawa City, it would be helpful for those working on building SDGs platforms throughout the country.
▼Keynote “KSF for SDGs platform development – What is the secret to connecting multi-stakeholders?”
Shugo Yanaka｜Professor, Faculty of Business Administration, BBT University / Professor, MBA, Graduate School of Business
Administration, BBT University
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Mr. Shugo Yanaka, Professor of BBT University, introducing examples of SDGs platform initiatives nationwide
Professor Shugo Yanaka of Business Breakthrough University, who has been an advisor to the SDGs Promotion Council in Yonezawa City since 2021, gave a keynote speech titled “KSF (Key Success Factor) for SDGs Platform Development”. In addition to explaining examples of SDGs platform creation across Japan, he clarified the local SDGs concept formulation process while taking up Yonezawa City’s efforts. Professor Yanaka explained that it is important to have a vision of what kind of direction you want to take in creating a place for the SDGs in your community. The key to building a platform is to share a vision of how it would be great if it turned out like this, and how this would be interesting.”
▼Practice TALK 1. “Local SDGs through special rice flour menu” Shizuka Shiga｜Representative of KOMFORTA
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KOMFORTA Shiga’s Baumkuchen made with Yonezawa rice flour is popular In 2011, Ms. Shizuka Shiga, who runs the popular café “KOMFORTA” in Yonezawa City, opened a shop that offers rice flour menus so that people with weak intestines and people with wheat allergies can enjoy their meals. He talked about his commitment to local ingredients, including non-standard rice produced in Yonezawa, and his desire for the region to let many people know about the wonders of Yonezawa through food. He also suggested that the key to the SDGs platform is to make it easier to access information from the city.
▼ Practice TALK2.
Atsushi Hamada｜Representative of Hamada Ranch / Representative Director of React Yonezawa
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Mr. Hamada from Hamada Farm talking about biogas power generation and asparagus Mr. Atsushi Hamada, who took the podium online from another venue, raises more than 100 dairy cows and has been developing a biogas power generation business for the past two years using cow manure and agricultural waste. This year, we have also started producing and selling asparagus using the organic fertilizer produced as a by-product. Mr. Hamada introduced his plan to open a gelato shop next year and passionately talked about his vision for the future. He also expressed his expectations for the SDGs platform to create a place where horizontal connections can easily be created.
▼Conference TALK “The Story of the Launch of the SDGs Promotion Conference” Yuki Ozaki｜Planning Coordinator, Policy Planning Division, Yonezawa City Planning and Coordination Department
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Yonezawa City Planning and Coordination Department Ozaki
Yuki Ozaki, Chief of Yonezawa City, gave a talk titled “Story of the Launch of the SDGs Promotion Council” about Yonezawa City’s efforts since being selected as an SDGs Future City and an organization working on the Regional Circulation and Ecological Sphere in 2021. An introduction was made. Not only did the event proceed smoothly, but also the challenges we faced were honestly introduced.
▼Policy TALK “Creation of Regional Circular and Ecological Sphere Promoted by Ministry of the Environment”
Shinjiro Sasaki｜Director, Regional Circulation and Ecosystem Promotion Office, Regional Policy Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of the Environment
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Mr. Sasaki, Director of Regional Circulation and Ecological Sphere Promotion Office, Ministry of the Environment
Mr. Shinjiro Sasaki, Director of Regional Circulation and Ecosphere Promotion Office, Ministry of the Environment, explained in an easy-to-understand manner about Circulation and Ecological Sphere, which is also included in textbooks for high school students. Using familiar examples, he introduced the importance of the role of regional platforms, where people gather with a sense of purpose and create businesses one after another in regions where problems are piling up. In response to the flow of the conference, he pointed out that excitement is necessary when a business is born within the platform, and gave hints for managing local SDGs.
▼ Perspective TALK “Prospects for Yonezawa SDGs”
Yumeto Ito｜Yonezawa City SDGs Promotion Advisor
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Yonezawa City SDGs Promotion Advisor_Yumeto Ito
Yumeto Ito, who was involved as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official when the SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015, plays a role in connecting the private sector and the city hall as an SDGs promotion advisor in Yonezawa City. He talked about the possibilities of urban development in Japan while talking about his time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also talked about the importance of local governments supporting edgy initiatives in the course of various initiatives with private businesses in Yonezawa. .
▼ Cross TALK “Creating a platform for local SDGs”
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SDGs Conference_Exchange of opinions
In the cross-talk held as a wrap-up of the conference, Mr. Hamada said, “It’s hard to get into the city hall,” and opinions were exchanged on the importance of creating a place for the platform. Professor Yanaka, who gave the keynote speech, pointed out that in order to create a platform for local SDGs, it is important to create an atmosphere where everyone can enjoy themselves and get excited together.
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Many people from all over the country participate
We received many positive comments from participants from Japan and overseas. In the questionnaire after the conference, there were comments such as “I would like to continue to support the efforts of case study presenters” and “I felt that efforts would be accelerated if opportunities were created to facilitate gathering and exchange of information.” A voice was sent. Yonezawa City will continue to develop the creation of the SDGs platform while connecting with everyone who is working on the SDGs across the country.
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Yonezawa SDGs Conference speakers and organizers
▼Contact us
Policy Planning Division, Planning and Coordination Department, Yonezawa City Email: kikaku-t@city.yonezawa.yamagata.jp
Phone: 0238-22-5111 (extension 2702)
Fax: 0238-22-0498
Details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000002.000109339.html
MAIL:cr@prtimes.co.jp
