TOKYO/LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday directed the adoption of modern Japanese technology and methodology for sewage and waste treatment in the province. The order came during her five-day visit to Japan, where she inspected Yokohama’s largest wastewater treatment plant.
“Japan’s modern technology and methods will be used for sewage and waste management in Punjab,” the chief minister said, according to a statement from her office. She was briefed on advanced waste treatment systems in Asahi, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Washimaku, and Yodogawa, where authorities explained how waste is separated into reusable components through automated systems.
Officials told her that Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city by population, treats 1.5 million litres of wastewater daily and operates multiple plants that generate energy from waste. This energy, they said, is used for local heating systems, making the plant an “ideal institution” for modern waste disposal. Despite being heavily industrialised, Yokohama maintains some of the country’s highest environmental standards, Japanese representatives noted.
The chief minister said Punjab would replicate this environmental and urban development model, adding that improving the quality of roads and buildings to Japanese standards was also under discussion. She attended a briefing at Yokohama Town Hall on urban development and agreed to expand “city-to-city” cooperation between Yokohama and Punjab across multiple sectors.
Maryam’s visit comes as Pakistan grapples with poor sanitation, with millions of tonnes of solid waste generated annually but only a fraction of sewage treated. This inadequacy contributes to urban flooding, waterborne illnesses, and the resurgence of preventable diseases such as cholera, dengue, and polio.
Under her leadership, Punjab has taken a lead in environmental governance by establishing Pakistan’s first Environmental Protection Force, enforcing a ban on single-use plastics, and introducing dust suppression systems at over 1,500 construction sites in Lahore.
