On July 3 and 4, 2017, 12 private and public sector experts working on industrial parks in Vietnam visited Japan on a study tour with an expert from UNIDO Headquarters. UNIDO ITPO Tokyo organized visits to Kitakyushu and Kawasaki Eco-towns in collaboration with UNIDO Headquarters.

On July 3, the mission visited Kitakyushu Eco-town. After an introduction by the City of Kitakyushu, the mission visited several companies and recycling facilities such as car recycling facility and vending machine recycling facility.

On July 4, the mission moved to Kawasaki and visited Kawasaki Eco-town. In Kawasaki, they also received a presentation by the City of Kawasaki, followed by a visit to an industrial waste treatment facility.

The concept of Eco-towns in Japan, which focuses on recycling and waste treatment, is a little different from Eco  Industrial parks in Vietnam, which target incorporating the concept of sustainability into traditional industrial parks that revolves around manufacturing. However the waste management technologies in Eco-towns drew much interest as it can help solve the current waste and water treatment issues in Vietnam.