Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s five-day visit to Japan in August 2025 marked a major initiative toward modernising urban infrastructure and advancing environmental standards back home. Here’s a deeper look at her “Green Leap” strategy, inspired by Japan’s clean water and waste treatment systems.
Clean Water and Wastewater Innovation
In Yokohama, Maryam Nawaz toured one of Japan’s largest water treatment facilities, seeing firsthand how the city processes 1.5 million litres of wastewater per day, generates energy from waste, and employs automated recycling systems—all while maintaining top-tier environmental standards.
Based on this, she directed the Punjab government to adopt similar Japanese technologies for sewage and waste management, aiming to improve water treatment and public health across the province.
Sustainable Urban Development: “Future Cities”
During her stay, Maryam visited Yokohama Town Hall. There, she evaluated smart urban systems and discussed integrating:
- High-quality construction standards for roads and buildings.
- A possible high-speed train network between Lahore and Islamabad.
- Modern transit options like chairlifts and air cabins.
She further formalised a city-to-city cooperation agreement between Punjab’s RUDA (Ravi Urban Development Authority) and Yokohama, facilitating technology and planning exchanges (The Nation, The Express Tribune, Gulf News).
Clean Punjab: From Vision to Action
Maryam publicly committed to implementing a “Future City” model in Punjab—one that’s eco-friendly, technologically advanced, and citizen-focused (Alo Japan All About Japan, Pakistan Today).
She highlighted her province’s “Clean Punjab” mission, along with environmental actions taken so far—like the launch of the Suthra Punjab sanitation initiative, the ban on single-use plastics, and dust suppression at construction sites (Dawn, Gulf News, Wikipedia).
Moreover, in Tokyo, she met with senior officials, including Deputy Governor Matsumoto Akiko, discussing cross-sectoral collaboration in clean water, renewable energy, and women’s empowerment—building a broader bridge for multi-dimensional cooperation (Pakistan Today, The Nation).
Summary: Punjab’s Green Leap in a Nutshell
| Key Focus Area | Japan Model | Punjab Implementation Strategy |
| Clean Water & Waste | Wastewater treatment + energy from waste in Yokohama | Introducing Japanese systems in Punjab’s urban water and waste infrastructure |
| Sustainable Cities | Smart urban planning, high-speed transit, modern construction | Integrating city-to-city cooperation, advocating high-speed rail & smart transit |
| Environmental Push | Automated recycling, ecosystems | Suthra Punjab, plastic ban, dust control in cities |
| Collaboration Scale | Institutional and diplomatic partnerships | Engagements with Tokyo officials, Morinaga, and local authorities |