From Lahore to Yokohama: Maryam Nawaz vows to build Japanese-style modern city

Dubai: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, currently on a five-day official visit to Japan, unveiled ambitious plans to transform Lahore and other cities in Punjab on the model of Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city renowned for its advanced urban planning, environmental sustainability, and industrial development.

During her visit to Yokohama, a major commercial and cultural hub, Chief Minister Maryam and her delegation received detailed briefings on Japan’s cutting-edge urban development systems, including waste management, high-speed rail, and green energy solutions. She expressed a firm commitment to adopting these modern technologies and management methods to bring Punjab’s infrastructure up to par with Japan’s standards.

“We want to develop Lahore, located on the banks of the Ravi River, as a modern city on the lines of Yokohama,” Maryam said at Yokohama Port while briefing Japanese officials about the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA). She invited the Yokohama Urban Development Authority to visit Lahore to collaborate on urban renewal projects.

Maryam is the first chief minister of Pubjab invited on an official visit to Japan.

Maryam inspected Japan’s largest wastewater treatment plant and was briefed on Yokohama’s solid waste and wastewater systems that treat 1.5 million litres daily and generate energy from waste to heat local homes. Japanese officials highlighted how automated systems separate waste for recycling, enabling Yokohama — an industrial powerhouse, to maintain the highest environmental standards.

“Japan’s modern technology and methods will be used to improve sewage and waste management in Punjab,” the CM assured. She visited multiple waste treatment plants in Kanagawa, Asahi, Washimaku, and Yodogawa, and emphasised integrating similar systems to promote environmental protection alongside urban development in Punjab.

The chief minister explored possibilities for introducing a high-speed train between Lahore and Islamabad and upgrading railway infrastructure using Japanese expertise. She also reviewed innovative Japanese transport projects such as chairlifts and air cabins for urban transit.

“We aim to transform RUDA into a modern urban development institution on the model of Yokohama,” she said, stressing the need to balance industrial development with protection from pollution and hazards.

Beyond infrastructure, Maryam visited community welfare centres where children learn skills like paper crafting. She pledged to adopt similar education and skill development models for Punjab’s youth.

Speaking at a gathering of the Pakistani community in Tokyo, Maryam announced major social and economic initiatives for Punjab, including:

She also highlighted improvements in Punjab’s health sector, noting that people from all over Pakistan now come to Punjab for treatment, a sign of growing confidence in the province’s healthcare system.

Maryam credited overseas Pakistanis for aiding the country’s economic recovery, saying inflation has been drastically reduced from 38% to 3% under her government’s stewardship.

“Our vision is clear: to raise Punjab’s infrastructure and urban standards to those of the most developed nations. With Japan’s support, we are ready to build a modern, sustainable Punjab for future generations,” she concluded.

The Yokohama officials accepted the invitation to visit Lahore soon, marking the start of a promising partnership for urban transformation and sustainable development in Punjab.