PENANG, 22 October 2026 – Digital Penang has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. (YEC), establishing a strategic partnership to advance cross-border innovation and strengthen Penang’s social infrastructure through technology and engineering solutions.
The partnership marks an important step towards establishing the Cross-Border Innovation Ecosystem for Next-Generation Social Infrastructure, a collaborative platform connecting public agencies, local industries, technology startups and Japanese companies to address real-world infrastructure and community challenges.
Through this initiative, Penang aims to position itself as a state-level “Living Lab”, where innovative solutions can be jointly developed, tested and validated in real-world environments before being deployed on a wider scale.
Four Priority Areas for Innovation
The collaboration will focus on four key areas of social infrastructure development:
- Water Systems & Environmental Protection – Exploring innovative approaches to water management and environmental sustainability.
- Smart Urban Operations & Mobility – Enhancing urban services, transportation and mobility through smarter technologies.
- Green Transformation & Energy Resilience – Supporting sustainable energy solutions and strengthening resilience.
- Structural & Community Resilience – Developing solutions to improve infrastructure reliability, public safety and community well-being.
By bringing together Japanese engineering expertise and Penang’s local innovation ecosystem, the partnership creates opportunities for local businesses and technology startups to co-develop, test and potentially scale solutions that address public sector needs.
Strengthening Penang–Japan Collaboration
The MoU was signed by Ts. Ng Kwang Ming, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Penang, and Mr. Kenjiro Yamanaka, Board Member and Executive Officer of Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd.
The signing ceremony, held at KOMTAR, was witnessed by YB Zairil Khir Johari, Penang State Executive Councillor for Infrastructure, Transport and Digital, and Mr. Hideyuki Yazama, Deputy Consul-General of Japan in Penang, alongside representatives from Penang’s local authorities and public sector agencies.
Speaking at the ceremony, YB Zairil emphasised the importance of improving public infrastructure and services as Penang continues to grow, highlighting the potential of the Living Lab approach to address community challenges through practical engineering innovation.
Ts. Ng Kwang Ming also highlighted the partnership’s alignment with the Penang Digital Economy Master Plan (DEMP), emphasising the importance of connecting public sector operational challenges with international expertise and local industry capabilities.
Advancing Sustainable Innovation for Penang
Beyond strengthening bilateral ties between Penang and Japan, the collaboration is expected to create new opportunities for technology transfer, knowledge exchange and industry participation.
By providing a platform for public agencies, businesses and startups to work alongside international technology and engineering partners, the initiative aims to accelerate the development of practical solutions that improve public service delivery and enhance the quality of life for Penang’s communities.
Aligned with the Penang Digital Economy Master Plan 2025–2030 and Penang2030 vision, this partnership reinforces Digital Penang’s commitment to building a smarter, greener and more resilient state through meaningful international collaboration and technology-driven innovation.
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