We are currently involved in the “Data Collection Survey on Climate Change Mitigation Effects of Public Transportation Shift in Lima and Callao Metropolitan Area(Climate Action）”, which aims to introduce a Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) scheme for climate actions in the public transport sector.
During our field survey, we observed a unique form of tactile paving installed on sidewalks in the Miraflores District, a major business area in Lima. Known as SightWalks (Veredas que Guían), this system was developed by the local manufacturer Cemento Sol. Between the regular braille blocks, special blocks are installed in front of buildings that have 1 to 10 lines engraved in a different direction. The number of the vertical lines serve as codes to describe the types of facility as below:

• One vertical line indicates a restaurant
• Two vertical lines indicate a bank
• Three vertical bars indicate a grocery store

By counting the number of vertical lines, pedestrians with visual impairments can identify the type of facility in front of them. This simple and intuitive solution makes urban services more accessible to people with disabilities and is easy to implement in the short term.
However, we also found cases where tactile paving was blocked by fences or garbage bags. This reminded us that to build a truly inclusive society, we need not only innovation but also proper maintenance and respect for basic rules. (Jun. 2025)

As a part of “The Project for Urban Mobility Improvement in Kigali”, a technical assistance project funded by JICA, we have conducted the several pilot project to improve the city bus service in Kigali, Rwanda.

Pilot Project 1: Scheduled Operation of Bus Transport
From January 16 to 29th, the scheduled bus operation of the target route (#203: Nyanza- Downtown) was implemented. Traditionally, the buses don’t depart the terminal until the seats are fully occupied by passengers, therefore, the passengers can’t predict the travel time. The bus ridership has been gradually reduced due to the emergence of motorcycle taxi services.
According to the questionnaire survey we’ve conducted during the pilot project, over 90 % of the users are satisfied with the operation. On the other hand, the average load-factor in off-peak hours are much less than the capacity, showing the needs to improve the implemented operation schedule (10 minutes for peak hours and 15 minutes for off-peak, 20 minutes for weekends) . The result of the pilot project is a very important implication for the bus operation planning in Kigali.

Pilot Project 2: Bus Terminal Improvement
The main objective of the pilot project is to enhance the convenience and safety of the bus terminal. In Remera Bus-Park, one of the main bus terminals in the city, the bus and car parking space is successfully optimized and thus the vehicle and passenger flow are improved through soft measures such as installing lane markings, cones, guide signs, and information boards, without huge civil works.
According to the questionnaire survey we’ve conducted, over 50% of the users answered that there were improvements in various aspects. Especially, more than 90% of users answered that “Overall Satisfaction”,” Information Provision”, and “Visibility” are improved. These findings and lessons learnt can be utilized for other bus terminal. (Jun. 2025)

The New Times: Rwanda: What Commuters Make of Kigali's Scheduled Public Transport System

On May 26, Dr. Varsolo C. Sunio and four students from the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) in the Philippines visited ALMEC Corporation as a part of their technical visit to Tokyo. The visit aims to provide students with a valuable opportunity to learn from Japan's cutting-edge academic institutions and global companies, and to utilize this opportunity in their future career development.
During their visit to ALMEC, in addition to an overview of the company profile, we introduced our experience in implementing overseas and domestic projects.
In the presentation on overseas projects, we touched on the overview of Japan's international cooperation scheme and introduced efforts by showing photos in various countries mainly in Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Through exploring the actual situation of each region, we have been providing development support to address the diverse challenges and to propose measures that are tailored to local characteristics.
Moreover, when introducing the case of urban planning and transport planning projects in Japan, in particular, the barrier-free measures drew much interest from the participants, and they exchanged their experiences during the Q&A session.
We are very pleased that this visit was a meaningful opportunity for participants to learn directly from the field in Japan. ALMEC will continue to contribute to global human resource development through such international exchanges. (May 2025)

ALMEC actively joins JICA internship program. During internship program, interns attend project meetings, go site visits, collect relevant information, and conduct research according to their interests. Through these experiences, they gain valuable insights into our work and the realities of urban and transport development in emerging countries.
In the summer of 2024, we hosted two interns at our Manila office as part of the " Project for Capacity Enhancement for Transit Oriented Development in the Philippines". One of our interns, Mr. Junpei MARUNO (a third-year student at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Saitama University at that time), has published an article on the JICA Partner website. In the column, he details his motivations for applying for the internship, his experiences in Manila, and the key takeaways from the program. We highly encourage you to read his insightful article. (Apr. 2025)

JICA Partner website (Japanese only)

Three ALMEC experts are participating in the on-going “The Project for Introduction of Urban Transport Management in Kathmandu Valley” of JICA, where they are responsible for areas such as intersection improvement, road safety awareness activities, behavior change, and gender considerations.
In Kathmandu, behaviors such as ignoring traffic signals or crossing roads without using pedestrian crossings remain widespread due to ingrained habits, weak enforcement, and low risk perception. Despite continuous safety campaigns by the Kathmandu Traffic Police, traffic violations by drivers and pedestrians still occur. Moreover, the Kathmandu Traffic Police rely heavily on manual traffic control, which in many other countries is handled by automated traffic signals, leaving limited resources available for enforcement.
ALMEC’s road safety expert has supported the capacity building of the police by delivering seminars and training sessions introducing successful case studies from other countries, proposing improvements in enforcement strategies, emphasizing the importance of gender considerations in traffic, and facilitating discussions on how to respond to various enforcement scenarios. The presentation was also featured on the Kathmandu Police's official Facebook page.
In addition, the project is currently conducting pilot projects to install traffic signals. It is expected that with the future expansion of signal installation, the police will be able to shift their focus from manual traffic control to traffic enforcement. (Apr. 2025)

The Kathmandu Police's official Facebook page

Area of business concerned: "03 Urban Transportation Planning"

As a new initiative in urban transport in the Solomon Islands, the JICA project titled "Advisory Project for Urban Transport Management in Honiara" has been launched.
The project aims to improve the road traffic environment in the capital city of Honiara and to help establish a safe and convenient public bus system.
Three experts from ALMEC are participating in the project, providing support in the formulation of policies for public transport, proposals for roles and regulations related to bus operations, standards for road signage, and parking management strategies.
The kickoff meeting held with the counterpart organizations, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) and Honiara City Council (HCC), was widely featured in local government communications and covered by the local media.
In Honiara, all public buses are privately owned. Due to the lack of sufficient regulation by public authorities, many buses do not follow designated routes. This has led to a decline in service quality, as well as urban transport issues such as traffic congestion.
We will continue to share updates and progress from our side, and through this project, we aim to contribute to making mobility in Honiara more comfortable and sustainable, ultimately supporting the growth and development of the local community. (Apr. 2025)

Solomon Islands government official website page

Area of business concerned: "03 Urban Transportation Planning"

On March 10, 2025, the last session of the public consultation training was held in Sri Lanka under JICA project “Capacity Enhancement for Urban Development Planning (CITY-UP)”. Public consultation is one of the area which ALMEC is responsible in the CITY-UP. Participated by many officials from the Urban Development Agency (UDA), the counterpart agency, the sesson started with a lecture by the Japanese expert and followed by a discussion on how to improve the UDA's urban development planning process.
As the final session, we summarized the current problems in the urban development planning process, issues that can be improved, and measures that can be practically applied by UDA, which were shared and anayalized in the previous six sessions. We also discused the manual design for UDA to continuoulsly implement an improved planning process after the project is completed.
Although this is our last field visit, ALMEC will continue to provide technical advice remotely from Japan for UDA to complete the manuals by the end of the project. (Mar. 2025)

Area of business concerned: "02 Urban Development Planning"

On December 17, 2024, the closing ceremony for the JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program "Comprehensive City Planning" was held, marking the successful completion of a one-month training program. This program was attended by 14 government officials responsible for urban planning and development from 13 countries. As the implementing partner, ALMEC was responsible for planning and preparation, program operation, and providing technical advice to enhance participants' learning and to assist in formulating their action plans.
The training program primarily consisted of lectures on urban planning and development in Japan, together with observation of Tokyo’s cityscape and site visits to various urban development project sites. Through these activities, participants gained in-depth knowledge of Japan’s experiences and expertise. Based on their learning, each participant analyzed challenges in their own countries and developed concrete action plans to address these issues, achieving practical outcomes.
The participants included counterparts from JICA’s ongoing technical cooperation projects as well as government officials who may become future cooperation partners. This provided a valuable opportunity to build a network of professionals involved in international cooperation in the urban sector.
At the closing ceremony, participants shared the insights they had gained during the program, fostering opportunities for future international collaboration. Following their return to their home countries, participants have reported taking the first steps toward implementing sustainable urban development initiatives using the knowledge acquired during the training.
ALMEC remains committed to collaborating with JICA and stakeholders from various countries to share Japan’s expertise in urban planning while supporting sustainable urban development and the promotion of international cooperation. (Jan. 2025)

Area of business concerned: "02 Urban Development Planning"

Bangkok, 26 November 2024 – The Seminar on the Area Traffic Control (ATC) System Expansion Masterplan, an essential part of the Bangkok Area Traffic Control Project (BATCP), took place on 26 November 2024 at Siam Hall, Eastin Grand Hotel Phaya Thai. The event brought together key stakeholders from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Royal Thai Police (RTP), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to discuss the future expansion of the ATC system across the entire Bangkok area.
The seminar opened with remarks by Assoc. Prof. Wisanu Subsompon, Vice Governor of Bangkok, followed by speeches from Mr. Kazuya Suzuki, Chief Representative of JICA Thailand, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawat Wongsanga, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. The Vice Governor reaffirmed the city's commitment to expanding the Area Traffic Control (ATC) system to improve traffic management. He explained that the initial phase involves installing Adaptive Traffic Signals that adjust based on traffic volume, with plans to expand this into a citywide ATC system in collaboration with Japanese experts and JICA. Vice Governor Wisanu emphasized that the discussions held today would play a key role in shaping the future expansion of the ATC system across Bangkok, ultimately enhancing overall traffic efficiency.
A keynote presentation led by Dr. Tetsuji Masujima (ALMEC), JICA Extert Team Leader and Mr. Sayan Thasanakosol, Director of the Traffic System Design Division at BMA, outlined the vision for expanding the ATC system. The session included a detailed review of the pilot project’s results and the comprehensive plan to extend the system to critical areas of Bangkok.
The event also featured a panel discussion with representatives from BMA, RTP, and JICA, who shared insights on ensuring the ATC system's long-term success. Key topics included challenges faced by police in managing Bangkok’s traffic signals, progress from the pilot project, and plans for citywide system expansion. Panelists highlighted preparations for broader implementation, system performance in pilot areas, and the readiness of BMA and the police for future deployment. The Japanese side expressed positive impressions of their collaboration with Thailand and outlined expectations for full-scale ATC expansion. The discussion underscored the importance of partnership and shared goals for citywide ATC development in the future. (Dec. 2024)

Live streaming from the Seminar (Facebook)

Area of business concerned: "06 Planning and Implementation of Transportation Measures"