The ambassador of Japan to Iran has called for broader cooperation between Tehran and Tokyo during a meeting with Tehran’s municipal officials.
Tamaki Tsukada described the talks with Tehran Municipality officials as a positive step toward strengthening ties between Japan and the urban management of Tehran, according to Tehran Municipality.
He emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral collaboration between Tehran and Tokyo, particularly in cultural, technical, and disaster-resilience fields.
Tsukada highlighted joint cultural initiatives, including cooperation with the Asian Mayors Forum and a planned Japanese photo exhibition in Tehran metro stations.
He also pointed to the role of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Tehran, noting past cooperation on air pollution control, waste management, and medical equipment supply.
He announced the launch of a grant-based project, implemented with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), to retrofit hospitals in Tehran Province against earthquakes. The project will be piloted in Tehran before being expanded nationwide, reflecting shared Iranian-Japanese experience as earthquake-prone countries.
The ambassador also expressed readiness to cooperate on sustainable water supply and power grid stabilization, including reducing water loss and improving energy efficiency.
For his part, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani welcomed Japan’s positive approach, stressing that earthquake preparedness could be a core area of partnership.
He praised Japan’s hospital retrofitting efforts and outlined Tehran’s broader urban renewal, water recycling expansion, and crisis-readiness plans, underscoring the city officials’ commitment to long-term resilience.