18th Stop: Yokohama, Japan

Under the theme “Change and Action,” the 18th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting convened in Yokohama, Japan, on Nov. 13-14, 2010. Discussions centered on growth strategies, regional integration, and the Bogor Goals. The summit yielded four key documents, including a roadmap for the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific. Leaders also united against protectionism and engaged with the business sector on small and medium-sized enterprise growth and food security.

Yokohama, the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, sits on Tokyo Bay within the Greater Tokyo Area. Its economy thrives on the Keihin Industrial Zone and its status as Japan’s premier international port. A global trade hub, the city exports automobiles and machinery while importing vital raw materials, maintaining trade relations with over 100 countries.