Tokyo has won the City Award at the World Smart City Awards 2026 in Barcelona, recognising a citywide strategy that starts with residents and local communities. Governor Yuriko Koike received the trophy at the November 4 ceremony during Smart City Expo World Congress.
The winning initiative, C³ Powering Tokyo, brings together three elements: citizens, communities and collaboration. Public participation informs urban development, neighbourhood organisations shape local initiatives, and international partnerships connect Tokyo with other cities through technical cooperation and cultural exchange.
For a metropolis of 14 million people, the central challenge is making large-scale urban management compatible with everyday quality of life. The award recognises the overall approach, rather than a single application or piece of infrastructure.
The metropolitan government says it will refine the strategy and share its experience internationally as the Tokyo Model. Across all categories, this year’s World Smart City Awards attracted 533 entries from 68 countries. The result places participatory governance alongside technology in the discussion about how cities should modernise.
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Government (5 November 2026). Image: Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
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