Projects and Activities
Japan Study Tour
SENDAI CITY & TOKYO 18-24 January 2026
Statue of Date Masamune
Outline of the Japan Study Tour 2026
(The above sample itinerary is for illustrative purposes only, to show the timings and range of facilities visited on previous tours)
JST 2026 – Theme ‘Northern Ambitions, Japanese Insights: Innovation in Sendai’
The tour theme contents are still being confirmed by the host municipality and will be made public later in the summer.
Applications now open – Deadline 30 September 2025
Outline
JLGC London each year invites senior executives in local government and staff working in the public sector within the jurisdiction of the countries covered by our office (the UK, Republic of Ireland and other countries within Northern Europe) to Japan for a week-long tour and series of seminars and workshops: to exchange best practice, opinions and information on the current state and issues of local autonomy, and to deepen understanding of each other’s local autonomy systems.
JLGC’s annual Japan Study Tour will next be hosted by Sendai City (Miyagi Prefecture), in 2026 after an orientation into local government at JLGC’s head office CLAIR Tokyo in the capital and site visits to various government-related facilities(details TBC).
The Sendai City segment of the tour will help participants learn how Japanese cities of varying scale improve local services through a devolved local government system. Participants will see a wide spectrum of best practice and local government strategies including industry-government-academia collaboration and tourism policy.
JLGC invites applicants from senior level staff of UK/Northern European local government and public sector organisations to join this seven-day tour to see how Japan tackles challenges for the future.
Successful applicants will be asked to attend an orientation meeting at JLGC London offices (potentially online) in December (TBC).
The tour schedule details for Sendai are currently tentative and will be updated on this page.
For more information, for any questions about eligibility or to request the application form and outline document to be sent as an attachment, please email “JST 2026 Sendai” in the subject bar to mailbox@jlgc.org.uk.
JST 2026 Participant Application Form (PDF)
