Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure

The Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure (Japanese: 公益財団法人都市緑化機構, commonly 都市緑化機構) is a Japanese public-interest incorporated foundation dedicated to creating, protecting, and nurturing greenery in cities. According to its official website, it was certified by the Prime Minister and has operated as a public-interest incorporated foundation since April 1, 2013. Its mission is to support citizens, businesses, and public bodies engaged in urban greening, and to contribute to green-rich community development through research, information provision, and public awareness activities. The organization positions itself as a coordinator that connects companies, organizations, and citizens working on the creation, cultivation, and conservation of urban greenery. Its stated areas of activity include regenerating and conserving satoyama woodland, supporting companies that create green spaces on rooftops and artificial ground, assisting researchers, and working with public bodies that host greening fairs. It frames its work around contemporary challenges such as global warming, biodiversity loss, and population decline, arguing that urban greenery is essential for safe and comfortable living environments, disaster mitigation, heat-island countermeasures, good landscapes, and biodiversity. Its programs span events, awards and grants, evaluation, technology, and support. It organizes the National Urban Greening Fair (全国都市緑化フェア), described as one of Japan's largest green events, and runs the Urban Greening Promotion Movement (都市緑化推進運動) each spring and autumn, during which flower pots, seedlings, and educational booklets are distributed and gardening consultations are offered across the country. It administers several award schemes, including the Green City Award (緑の都市賞), the Green Environment Plan Grand Prize (緑の環境プラン大賞), the Greening Technology Competition (緑化技術コンクール), the Green Social Contribution Award (みどりの社会貢献賞), and the National Flower Town Development Contest (全国花のまちづくりコンクール). It also operates SEGES (Social and Environmental Contribution Green Space Evaluation System), a certification system for corporate green spaces, and runs the Construction Technology Review and Certification program. It provides grants for research activities, universal-design facility development, and environmental learning for children around fair venues, and hosts web seminars and joint research meetings. The organization is headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, and its leadership includes Chairman Akira Ichikawa (市川 晃), listed as Representative Director and Chairman. It is a membership-based foundation that solicits members and donations, including through donation-linked vending machines. As a public-interest foundation rather than a commercial company, it functions as an institutional brand in Japan's urban greening and landscape sector.

The Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure is a Japanese public-interest incorporated foundation. According to its official website, it received certification from the Prime Minister and has operated under the name 公益財団法人都市緑化機構 (public-interest incorporated foundation) since April 1, 2013. This date marks its transition to the public-interest incorporated foundation status under Japan's reformed public-interest corporation system; the organization's roots, however, lie in earlier urban greening promotion activities in Japan. The foundation's stated purpose is to create, protect, and nurture greenery in cities. In its greeting message, it notes that contemporary society faces challenges including global warming, biodiversity loss, and a declining and aging population, and that urban areas in particular require sustainable community development addressing familiar wildlife conservation, earthquake disaster prevention and mitigation, heat-island countermeasures, good landscape formation, and comfortable lifestyles. It argues that creating, protecting, and nurturing urban greenery is indispensable for safe and comfortable living environments and urban landscapes, and for ensuring biodiversity, and that it is both an important role for government and businesses and the most familiar environmental action available to individuals. Over time the organization has built a portfolio of programs that support citizens, businesses, and public bodies. These include the National Urban Greening Fair (全国都市緑化フェア), described as one of Japan's largest green events; the Urban Greening Promotion Movement (都市緑化推進運動), held each spring and autumn with flower pot and seedling distributions, educational booklet distribution, and gardening consultations nationwide; and a set of awards including the Green City Award (緑の都市賞), the Green Environment Plan Grand Prize (緑の環境プラン大賞), the Greening Technology Competition (緑化技術コンクール), the Green Social Contribution Award (みどりの社会貢献賞), and the National Flower Town Development Contest (全国花のまちづくりコンクール). It also operates SEGES (Social and Environmental Contribution Green Space Evaluation System), which certifies corporate green spaces, and a Construction Technology Review and Certification program. It provides grants for research activities, universal design facility development, and environmental learning for children around fair venues, and organizes web seminars and joint research meetings. The organization is headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, and is led by Representative Director and Chairman Akira Ichikawa (市川 晃). It operates as a membership-based foundation, soliciting members and donations, including through donation-linked vending machines. Its activities are framed around the slogan of spreading a 'ring of greenery' (みどりのわ) from towns to all of Japan.

• Certified by the Prime Minister and began operating as 公益財団法人都市緑化機構 (public-interest incorporated foundation).

• SEGES certified one new 'Sodateru Midori' corporate green space and others.

• Winners of the 14th Green Social Contribution Award were decided.

• Held the 18th 'Let's Think About Urban Greenery Together' web seminar on schoolyard greening.

• Held the 17th web seminar on the conservation of the Jingu Gaien ginkgo avenue.

A public-interest foundation and coordinator supporting urban greening, landscape, and green infrastructure across Japan through awards, grants, certification, research, and public events.

• SEGES (Social and Environmental Contribution Green Space Evaluation System)

  A certification system that evaluates and certifies corporate green spaces.

• National Urban Greening Fair

  Described as one of Japan's largest green events, hosted with public bodies.

• Urban Greening Promotion Movement

  A spring and autumn public awareness campaign with flower pot and seedling distribution and gardening consultations.

• Green City Award

  One of the three 'Urban Green Awards' supporting green community development.

• Green Environment Plan Grand Prize

  One of the three 'Urban Green Awards' supporting green community development.

• Greening Technology Competition

  One of the three 'Urban Green Awards' supporting green community development.

• Green Social Contribution Award

  An award recognizing companies that contribute to society and the environment through greenery.

• National Flower Town Development Contest

  An award recognizing excellent flower-based community development efforts.

• Construction Technology Review and Certification

  A program reviewing and certifying construction technologies, with a new technology exhibition.

• Research activity grants

  Grants for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers conducting research contributing to urban environmental improvement through greenery.

• Universal design facility grants

  Grants for the development and provision of universal design facilities related to urban greening.

1. 1公益財団法人都市緑化機構urbangreen.or.jp
2. 2都市緑化機構とは | 公益財団法人都市緑化機構urbangreen.or.jp
3. 3都市緑化機構が目指していること | 公益財団法人都市緑化機構urbangreen.or.jp
4. 4お問い合せ | 公益財団法人都市緑化機構urbangreen.or.jp
5. 5Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructurewikidata.org