While Kitakyushu ranks #9 in our Air Quality subcategory and #21 for Tree Cover, things weren’t always so green and clean. After World War II, Kitakyushu’s heavy industry, particularly steel production, polluted the city’s air and water, with smoke-belching factories and toxic waste turning its coast into an environmental disaster zone. By the 1960s, residents could barely see the sun through the smog, and the once-bountiful Dokai Bay was dubbed the “Sea of Death” due to industrial runoff. In the 1980s local governments, citizens and businesses launched a series of bold environmental reforms, including stricter emissions regulations, investment in pollution control technologies and the revitalization of industrial waste management systems. The city’s Eco-Town project, initiated in the late 1990s, became a model for sustainable urban development. It encouraged recycling, waste-to-energy projects and eco-friendly businesses, attracting global attention and investment. Today, Kitakyushu’s ongoing “Smart City” initiative integrates energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy systems into its infrastructure. This, along with the development of the Kitakyushu Eco-Town, positions the city as a hub for green and sustainable industries. These zones are designed to attract foreign and domestic companies focused on recycling, renewable energy and low-carbon technologies.