Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration and Tourism Policy Initiatives in Sendai City
With a population exceeding one million, Sendai City is known as the ‘City of Trees’, where nature and urban functions harmonise, and is recognised as the political and economic centre of the Tohoku region. The castle town established by Date Masamune, the first lord of the Sendai Domain (Sendai-han, or clan), laid the foundations for the city, which remains evident today. Besides its natural and urban features, the city also offers a rich sense of history and culture. Building on its identity as the “City of Trees,” Sendai City has embraced an ambitious vision; “A Renewed City of Trees that Continues to Take on Challenges: The Greenest City, SENDAI”, and is boldly shaping a vibrant, world-class city to be proud of on the global stage.
Sendai City is also the host organisation for this year’s Japan Study Tour, which the JLGC will hold in January 2026, to introduces the city’s initiatives in industry-academia-government collaboration and tourism policy.
Sendai Pageant Illumination. Miyagi Prefecture (link to event page)
Sendai City has established eight key “Challenge Projects” based on its strengths and current situation. One of these is the “TOHOKU Future Project” which will “create innovations launched in Tohoku with global appeal”. It will support the strategic advance of business and attract visitors by combining global and local perspectives, promoting the appeal of the Tohoku region both domestically and internationally. Industry-government-academia collaboration and tourism policy initiatives are rooted in this project.
One such industry-government-academia collaboration initiative is the formation of “Sendai City Research Complex”. The Research Complex is a composite innovation promotion base where research institutions, companies, universities, and others are clustered within a defined area to integrate their activities. It enables the integrated and comprehensive advancement of cutting-edge research and development through cross-disciplinary collaboration, the commercialisation of outcomes, and human resource development. Sendai City anticipate that the collaboration of the city government, Tohoku University, and private sector R&D departments will foster the development of outstanding talent and create a hub for generating new value. Particularly through the utilisation of the next generation synchrotron radiation facility, NanoTerasu, it is expected that pioneering new technologies will emerge in the fields of environment and energy, food (agricultural and marine products) and pharmaceuticals, as well as electronic devices and advanced materials.
Tohoku University is a member institution of “RENKEI”, a partnership between universities in Japan and the UK, aiming to further knowledge exchange and research collaboration between institutions and individuals. As Japan’s first government designated “University for International Research Excellence”, it aims to conduct world-leading research and translate its outcomes into societal and economic benefits. Sendai City’s initiatives in collaboration with Tohoku University, which is enhancing its global presence, complimenting UK local authorities that actively partner with universities.
Tanabata is famous in Sendai for its spectacular Sendai Tanabata Festival, where the city is decorated with elaborate, colorful streamers that attract millions of visitors every August.
Furthermore, Sendai Cit is home to tourist attractions such as Akiu Onsen (which hosted the 2023 G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting) and the ruins of Sendai Castle, built by Lord Date Masamune, and is currently implementing various tourism policies under the “Sendai Tourism Strategy 2027” to enhance the city’s attractive tourism resources, such as its history, culture, and nature, and to attract foreign tourists from Asia, Europe, America, and Australia. Additionally, as the centre of the Tohoku region, it collaborates with other Tohoku cities and offices such as the Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organisation to promote the appeal of the entire Tohoku region overseas.
In October 2024, the Accommodation Tax Local Ordinance was passed by the city assembly and enacted, leading to the introduction of the tax from 13 January 2026, imposing a tax of ¥300 per person per night on all guests staying at accommodation facilities. The tax consists of ¥100 for the prefecture and ¥200 for the city. The accommodation tax aims to fund initiatives enhancing the appeal of tourism resources and improving the local experience for travellers. In recent years, the introduction of such a tax has been seen in many local authorities across Japan.
In the UK, it has been suggested that the forthcoming Strategic Authorities may develop their own tourism policies and the introduction of an overnight visitor levy by local authorities is also under consideration. Sendai City’s tourism policy initiatives are likely to provide useful reference cases for UK local authorities.
As local authorities tackle increasingly diverse and complex responsibilities, there is a growing need to learn from advanced practices both domestically and internationally. Through the Japan Study Tour, JLGC continues to provide opportunities to introduce leading initiatives from Japanese local authorities and share these with UK authorities. You can follow posts from the tour via our LinkedIn page (link) from 18-24 January.
(Further reading)
・Sendai City, About Sendai City, https://www.city.sendai.jp/koryu/foreignlanguage/en/index.html
・Sendai City, History, https://www.city.sendai.jp/koryu/foreignlanguage/en/sendai/history.html
・Sendai City, Sendai City Basic Plan 2021-2030, https://www.city.sendai.jp/machizukuri-kakuka/shise/zaise/kekaku/sogo/documents/sendaicitybasicplan_outlineversion_english.pdf
・Tohoku University, UREX-TOHOKU, https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/research_excellence/en/
・British Council, About RENKEI, https://www.britishcouncil.jp/en/programmes/higher-education/university-industry-partnership/renkei/about
・Cabinet Office, 2023 G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting in Sendai, https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/english/others/2023/g7_2023_en.html
