Japan

In 2005, Okayama City, Japan, established an ESD Promotion Commission with various stakeholders to develop a plan to harness formal and informal learning to promote sustainability and environmental awareness. In 2015, a new plan was developed that identified eight priorities and was further supported by the 2016 initiative of emphasizing the intention to make Okayama a learning city. The aims of the plan included assisting people who have a vision for the future that coincides with the principles of education for sustainable development (ESD) to participate in the process of city development, facilitating traditional culture and fostering intercultural exchange, protecting the environment and strengthening the economy (UIL, 2017).