On June 19, 2025, The World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) and City of Shizuoka formalized their partnership with Shizuoka City’s participation in the TDLC City Partnership Program (CPP).
Shizuoka now joins the ranks of seven other Japanese cities in the CPP, namely Kitakyushu, Kobe, Toyama, Yokohama, Fukuoka, Kyoto and Hiroshima. The practical urban development knowledge shared by these partner cities through TDLC activities such as Technical Deep Dive (TDDs) has provided valuable lessons for the World Bank client countries.
Shizuoka is expected to bring its city's expertise particularly in flood control to the World Bank's client countries particularly those that face severe flooding.
“There are many cities around the world that are similar in size to Shizuoka City, which has a population of approximately 700,000. Given the limited budget available for urban development, Shizuoka City's experience could serve as a useful reference for other cities.” said Takashi Namba, Mayor of Shizuoka City. He continues with expectations that “This partnership will be our international cooperations as well as development of international talent."
Starting July 2025, TDLC will commence it’s Phase 5 that aims to position TDLC as a knowledge hub for livable cities. Reinforcing the knowledge resources base is critical, and expanding its partnerships with cities in Japan will be an important element in this effort. The collaboration with Shizuoka City will be the first step in this direction.
Angelica Nunez, Practice Manager of the Global Programs Unit in the Urban, Resilience, and Land Global Practice of the World Bank, appreciated the partnership. ”I believe Shizuoka City has a lot to offer in terms of experiences in urban flood management, river management and broader urban development. I hope this partnership will be mutually beneficial.”