LAHORE: “Yokohama and Punjab have agreed on ‘city-to-city’ cooperation in various fields including environment protection and providing modern development systems to cities,” said Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif during her visit to Japan’s commercial, economic and cultural center ‘Yokohama.’
The CM and her delegation members were given a detailed briefing on urban development at Yokohama Town Hall. She discussed on how to bring construction quality of roads and buildings in Punjab at par with that of Japan. She also discussed various possibilities of cooperation between Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and Yokohama.
The Chief Minister reviewed possibilities of cooperation in running a high-speed train between Lahore and Islamabad, besides upgradation of railway infrastructure in the province. She also reviewed the latest Japanese chairlift and air cabin projects. She was apprised, “Kun-Hun’ the three cities of Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama are located in a region called industrial zone of Japan.”
She was briefed by the authorities concerned, “Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan in terms of population, and in May 2025, annual conference of Asian Development Bank declared Yokohama the most developed city in Asia in terms of environmental improvement.”
Moreover, the CM who is on a five-day official visit to Japan, visited different parts of ‘Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse,’ whose new name is ‘Newport Pier Bonded Warehouse’ due to its location along the port.
She also visited a centre for teaching skills to children, under community welfare in the warehouse.
The Chief Minister saw children making things from paper and other materials. The children showed her various examples of their creative talents. She congratulated the children and interacted with them.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif said, “A model of community welfare is also being promoted in Punjab.” She added, “We are also adopting methods of education and skill development on modern lines, besides providing facilities to children of Punjab.” She paid tribute to the excellent efforts of administration of ‘Red Brick Warehouse.’
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025