Enhancement of Disaster Resilience
Sharing knowledge and lessons learned from the recovery and resilience-building efforts in the Hamadori region of Fukushima following the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident.
Purpose of CIFAL Japan
Under its cooperation agreement with UNITAR, and while maintaining a global perspective, CIFAL Japan develops current and aspiring leaders in the public and private sectors who—mainly in Japan's regions and local communities—drive the realisation of a society in which no one is left behind and in which people live in harmony with nature and enjoy safe, secure, more prosperous and sustainable lives. To this end, it builds and strengthens the international networks required for this purpose, working in cooperation with UNITAR, the CIFAL Global Network, and educational and research institutions, local governments, government agencies and private-sector organisations in Japan and abroad, thereby enhancing the Centre's activities.
What is the CIFAL Network?
The CIFAL Network is a constellation of more than 30 international training centres managed by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Each CIFAL operates as a regional knowledge hub for city leaders and decision-makers working to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals.
CIFAL Japan is the newest centre in the Network — and the first in the Network conceived as a national network, with a headquarters in Iwaki City, Fukushima, and a growing set of network offices across Japan.
CIFAL Japan's Priority Areas of Activity
Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion
Promoting activities that enhance diversity and inclusion within local communities, enabling participation of women, persons with disabilities, the elderly, foreigners, and others.
Acceleration of Global Learning for Younger Generations
Promoting learning among young people across Japan- starting from Iwaki City- on SDGs and peace from a global perspective, aligned with cutting-edge discussions at the United Nations.
Promotion of Health and Well-being
Sharing Japan's initiatives for addressing the challenges of a super-aged society and promotion health and well-being on a global scale.
Promotion of ESG through Business
Sharing business models and science/technology innovations that integrate SDG-based better future building with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives by local enterprises.
How we got here
History of the Establishment of the CIFAL Japan International Training Centre
- March 2024
- Mr Luis Gallegos, then Chair of the UNITAR Board of Trustees, visited Higashi Nippon International University and exchanged views with Iwaki City and the Shoheiko Educational Foundation, introducing the work of the UNITAR CIFAL network and proposing the joint establishment of CIFAL Japan.
- 7 August 2024
- UNITAR (Mr Nikhil Seth, Executive Director and UN Assistant Secretary-General), Iwaki City and the Shoheiko Educational Foundation signed a Basic Cooperation Agreement toward establishing Japan's first "CIFAL Japan International Training Centre" in Iwaki City, at the University of Osaka Nakanoshima Centre, with the support of the ESG Integration Research and Education Center (ESG-IREC), University of Osaka.
- 2 December 2024
- UNITAR, Iwaki City and the Shoheiko Educational Foundation signed the tripartite Cooperation Agreement on the establishment of the Centre at Iwaki City Hall. CIFAL Japan was established as the first CIFAL in Japan.
For the background to the establishment, please see the three-way dialogue among the Co-Representatives and the Vice Representative published in the Fukushima Minyu newspaper on 30 May 2025.
Governance
Governance / Board Members
CIFAL Japan operates under an agreement with UNITAR and is overseen by an Advisory Council, an International Advisory Committee of globally recognised experts, and a Programme Advisory Committee.
Governance (Board Members)
- Honorary Chair
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- Luis Gallegos (former Chair of the UNITAR Board of Trustees; former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador)
- Co-Representative (Chair)
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- UCHIDA Hiroyuki (Mayor of Iwaki City)
- Co-Representative
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- MIDORIKAWA Hiroshi (Chairperson, Shoheiko Educational Foundation)
- Vice Representative
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- Prof. HOSHINO Toshiya (former Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations; Professor Emeritus, University of Osaka; Professor Emeritus, Higashi Nippon International University)
- Board Member
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- MIDORIKAWA Akemi (Vice-Chairperson, Shoheiko Educational Foundation)
- NAKAMURA Takayuki (President, Iwaki College; Professor Emeritus, National Institute of Technology, Fukushima College)
- SUGANAMI Kaori (Attorney, Iwaki Law Office)
- Board member (UNITAR)
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- Mr Alex Mejia（ex officio）— Director, UNITAR Division for People and Social Inclusion, responsible for the CIFAL Global Network
- Executive Director
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- ITO Akiko (Guest Professor, University of Osaka; Visiting Professor, Higashi Nippon International University; former Chief of the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UN DESA)
The Board Members are Ms MIDORIKAWA Akemi, Vice Chair of the Board of Shoheiko Educational Foundation; Mr NAKAMURA Takayuki, President of Iwaki Junior College; and Ms SUGANAMI Kaori, Attorney-at-Law, Iwaki Law Office. Mr Alex Mejia, Director, UNITAR Division for People and Social Inclusion, responsible for the CIFAL Global Network, serves ex officio.
Advisory Committee
- ASAI Masao (Co-founding Partner, Capula Investment Management LLP; Guest Professor, ESG-IREC, University of Osaka)
- ISHII Masami (Chair, Japan Association for CBRNE Science) — Chair
- IZUTSU Takashi (Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo)
- KAWAMURA Ai (Representative, Nature Inclusive)
- Rajib Shaw (Professor, Keio University)
- TADA Jin (Collaborative Researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies)
- HOSHINO Kaoruko (Programme Officer, CIFAL Japan)
- HOSHINO Chikako (Visiting Professor, Higashi Nippon International University) — Vice-Chair
- Estrella Merlos (Deputy Director, CIFAL Global Network Secretariat) — ex officio
- ITO Akiko (Executive Director, CIFAL Japan) — ex officio
A national network
Our offices across Japan
CIFAL Japan is the first CIFAL designed as a national network, with a headquarters in Fukushima and a growing set of network offices in partner universities across Japan.
- Iwaki (Headquarters)
- The headquarters of CIFAL Japan (Iwaki, Fukushima). Building on Iwaki Fukushima’s experience of recovery as well as the Japanese leadership in advancement of inclusive and sustainable communities worldwide, it advances the localization of the SDGs, inclusive policymaking, disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and recovery, and cross-sectoral leadership development.
Goals we contribute to
- 4 Quality education
- 5 Gender equality
- 8 Decent work
- 10 Reduced inequalities
- 11 Sustainable cities
- 13 Climate action
- 16 Peace & institutions
- 17 Partnerships