Japanese research team visits Bocholt

A twelve-strong team from the renowned NIKKEN SEKKEI Research Institute in Tokyo has now paid a visit to Bocholt. The guests were interested in topics from the field of urban planning against the backdrop of structural change. The topics of climate protection and demographic change met with particular interest.

NIKKEN SEKKEI, founded in 1900, is one of the world's leading architecture and planning offices with over 3,000 employees, including 1,420 architects. Its projects include well-known buildings such as the Tokyo Skytree, a landmark of the Japanese capital at a height of 634 metres.

Bocholt as an example of structural change

Bocholt's city planning officer Daniel Zöhler opened the meeting in the "Lernwerk". Specialists from the building department then exchanged ideas with the Japanese experts. This was followed by a tour of the Kubaai district and the city centre. The Research Institute is currently working on medium-term planning for NIKKEN SEKKEI in the wake of Japan's ageing population and climate change. Bocholt, close to the Dutch border, with a healthy business landscape and the "Kubaai" cultural quarter, is an example of successful structural change for the Japanese. Topics such as location attractiveness, training and demographics of medium-sized centres outside the metropolises are also of interest in Japan.

Contact with the city of Bocholt was established via the NRW.Global Business foreign office, which also supports Bocholt-based companies in Japan. The group was accompanied by Georg Löer, an expert on Japan and long-standing consultant for economic relations between North Rhine-Westphalia and Japan.

Prof Noboru Konno, Head of Delegation and Senior Advisor for NIKKEN SEKKEI, expressed his thanks for the "highly interesting discussions and presentations on the development and planning of the city of Bocholt." The company is taking many suggestions for the future design of cities in rural regions back to Japan.

Background: Strategic partnership agreement

On 22 April 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted an agreement on a strategic partnership with Japan. This agreement is intended to promote more intensive political and economic cooperation. The parties to the agreement are committed to implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, EUROPE DIRECT Bocholt also welcomed and accompanied the visit of the Japanese experts.