Japan to Host Leaders from Major Cities from Around the World for G-NETS Summit

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, April 27, 2026

Leaders from major cities from around the world will gather in Tokyo on Monday for the Global City Network for Sustainability Leaders Summit, which will explore solutions to shared urban challenges.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and representatives from about 50 cities, including Los Angeles, Paris, Rome and Singapore, are scheduled to attend the event.

The G-NETS Leaders Summit is an international city network established by the Tokyo metropolitan government in 2022.

This time, leaders will share insights and strengthen cooperation on such themes as responding to natural disasters, leveraging artificial intelligence and digital technology, promoting culture, sports and entertainment and advancing greening initiatives.

A joint press conference is scheduled for Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the participants will visit the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward, which reopened in March following renovations. They will learn about the history and culture of Edo, present-day Tokyo, amid efforts for the city’s culture and history to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage cultural asset. They also plan to inspect the floodgates of the metropolitan government’s Storm Surge Management Center in Koto Ward.

The summit is a highlight of SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, a Tokyo-hosted international gathering for startups, major corporations, researchers and investors from Japan and overseas. This year’s event marks the third time, following 2023 and 2024.

The summit has previously compiled a joint statement pledging to achieve a sustainable society through initiatives such as creating a society that is comfortable to live in regardless of disability or gender, building safe and secure communities and implementing environmental policies.