High-level outreach meetings in Japan

Activity list

ITTO and UNU sign MOU to strengthen collaboration on tropical forest governance and sustainability

2025/04/17

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the United Nations University (UNU) have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marking a significant step toward enhanced collaboration in addressing global challenges related to tropical forests. The signing ceremony, held at the UNU headquarters in Tokyo, Japan on 17 April 2025, brings together two organizations committed to advancing sustainable development in the tropical regions.

ITTO welcomes Mr Ryoichiro Orii, the newly appointed Director General of the International Affairs Bureau of the City of Yokohama

2025/04/02

ITTO was pleased to welcome Mr Ryoichiro Orii, the newly appointed Director General of the International Affairs Bureau of the City of Yokohama, to its headquarters on 2 April 2025. He was accompanied by Ms Shuko Chiba, Director of the Global Networks Division, and Mr Norio Tomioka, Executive Director of the Global Networks Department. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to discuss ways to further strengthen the collaboration between ITTO and the City of Yokohama, particularly in the context of the Green Expo 2027 and thew upcoming ITTO Council Sessions in Yokohama.

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru meets with Japan’s Minister of the Environment to strengthen collaboration

2025/03/10

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru met with Japan’s Minister for the Environment, the Honorable Minister Asao Keiichiro and senior officials from Japan’s Ministry of the Environment at its office in Tokyo, Japan, to explore avenues for deeper collaboration on shared global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification. Given the longstanding engagement between ITTO and the Japanese government, both parties agreed on the importance of enhancing cooperation in these critical areas, amongst others.

H.E. Mr Gustavo Makanaky, Ambassador of Colombia to Japan, visits the ITTO Secretariat

2025/02/21

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) was honored to host H.E. Mr. Gustavo Makanaky, Ambassador of Colombia to Japan, at its Secretariat. He was warmly received by the ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru, and their discussions centered on strengthening collaboration in sustainable forest management.

A key topic of discussion was the progress of the ITTO project PD916/21 Rev.2 (F): Pilot Sustainable Management Systems for Secondary Natural Forests in the Collective Afro-descendant Community Territory of the Bajo Calima Community Council, Municipality of Buenaventura, Colombia. This initiative aims to promote sustainable forest management while strengthening the livelihoods of local Afro-descendant communities through responsible resource use and conservation practices.

Strengthening sustainability: ITTO and APP explore collaboration for forest management

2025/02/06

Engaging with the forest industry is essential for driving innovation, implementing sustainable forest management practices, and tackling global environmental challenges. By fostering partnerships, we can accelerate progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).As part of its commitment to private sector collaboration, ITTO welcomed a delegation from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) to its headquarters on 6 February 2025. The discussions centered on advancing sustainability in forestry operations within the pulp and paper industry, highlighting shared priorities in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.

Courtesy Call with Forestry Agency Director-General AOYAMA Toyohisa

2024/10/22

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru paid a courtesy visit to Mr. AOYAMA Toyohisa, Director-General of the Forestry Agency, to express gratitude for the agency’s and the Japanese government’s continued support. The discussion focused on strengthening collaboration to promote the sustainable use of wood and the circular economy. Both parties also discussed support for ITTO’s upcoming 60th Council session and explored opportunities for cooperation in the 2025 Osaka Expo and the 2027 Yokohama Expo.

Courtesy visit with JICA President

2024/05/28

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru paid a courtesy visit to JICA’s headquarters in Tokyo on 27 May 2024 to greet JICA President Dr Tanaka Akihiko and discuss continued collaboration between both organizations based on the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in October 2022.

ITTO Executive Director meet with President of Soka Gakkai

2024/05/28

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru met with Soka Gakkai President Mr. Harada Minoru, on Friday 24 May 2024, for signing an agreement between the two organizations for a new project to be implemented in Benin entitled “Support for women’s groups with the restoration of forest landscapes in the departments of Ouémé and Zou, Benin”.

ITTO, JICA and tropical forest “superpowers” explore paths toward sustainable forestry

2024/05/22

ITTO underlined the importance of stepped-up investment and international cooperation to advance sustainable tropical forestry at a symposium on tropical forest conservation that brought together three “superpowers” of the sector.

Sustainable wood use for climate change mitigation

2023/12/05

In the side-event “Sustainable Forest Management for the Mitigation and Adaptation against Climate Change” held at the Japan Pavilion on 5 December 2023, during the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru explained how sustainable wood use can contribute to climate change mitigation by adding value to forests, a key factor in reducing their conversion to other land-uses.

Yokohama City Council LDP members visit ITTO

2023/10/06

Yokohama City Council Liberal Democratic Party members, Ms Fushimi Yuki and Mr Kawaguchi Hiro, paid a courtesy visit to ITTO headquarters on 3 October 2023 to meet ITTO Director of Operations Gerhard Breulmann and ITTO Financial and Administrative Officer Simon Kawaguchi.

Courtesy visit with parliamentarian Suga Yoshihide

2023/07/21

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru visited The Most Honourable Mr Suga Yoshihide, Member of Japan’s House of Representatives and Member of the South Korea–Japan Parliamentarians’ Association, on 18 July 2023 at Mr Suga’s diet office in Tokyo.

Courtesy call by members of Yokohama City Council and Diet

2023/07/10

Diet member Sakaya Sasaki and several members of the Yokohama City Council paid a courtesy visit to ITTO headquarters on 10 July 2023 to meet with ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru. Representing the Yokohama City Council were Ms Fukushima Naoko, Vice-president; Mr Takahashi Masaharu, former Vice-president; and Mr Nakajima Mitsunori and Mr Takenouchi Takeshi.

ITTO Executive Director meets with President of Sumitomo Forestry

2023/07/06

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru met with Sumitomo Forestry President and Executive Officer, Mr Mitsuyoshi Toshiro, in Tokyo on 6 July 2023. The focus of the conversation was the importance of stand-level sustainable forest management and potential collaboration through Sumitomo’s long-term vision for decarbonization, known as Mission TREEING 2030.

ITTO Executive Director moderates seminar at G7 meeting in Miyazaki

2023/04/22

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru moderated the seminar, “Toward Net Zero and Circular Economy with Sustainable Wood Use", held on 21 April 2023 during the G7 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting in Miyazaki, Japan.

ITTO Executive Director stresses forests as nature-based solutions in event in Japan Pavilion

2022/11/29

The sustainable consumption of tropical forest products is an important nature-based solution to climate change, according to ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru. She was speaking at an event on 18 November 2022 in the Japan Pavilion on the sidelines of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries and ITTO discuss tropical forests ahead of G7 meeting

2022/11/29

Mr Tanimura Eiji, Counselor at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (MAFF) and Cabinet Counselor, made a courtesy visit to ITTO headquarters in Yokohama on 18 November 2022 to meet with ITTO Director of Operations Gerhard Breulmann.

ITTO Executive Director meets head of Komei in Tokyo

2022/10/28

ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru met with the head of the Komei political party, Yamaguchi Natsuo, on 26 October 2022. The visit was featured in Komei’s newspaper where the party acknowledged ITTO’s important work to address global issues such as climate change, wood fibre supply from sustainably managed forests and biodiversity loss.

ITTO and IGES strengthen cooperation on tropical forests

2022/10/19

ITTO and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) will work more closely together in assisting tropical countries and stakeholders to conserve and sustainably manage their forests under a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on 19 October 2022 by ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru and IGES President Takeuchi Kazuhiko.

ITTO and Japan International Cooperation Agency renew commitment on cooperation

2022/10/18

ITTO and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have agreed to continue their collaborative work to assist tropical countries and stakeholders in conserving and sustainably managing their forests under a new memorandum of cooperation signed on 17 October 2022 by ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru and JICA Director General, Global Environment Department, Morita Takahiro.