Brochures
Corporate Profile (PDF)
updated in Apr. 2023 12 pages / A4
Summary of Corporate Profile (PDF)
updated in Apr. 2023 A4
List of Achievements 2023 (PDF)
updated in May 2023 14 pages / A4
Confirmed Leading Projects
- Dec. 2024 Knowledge Co-Creation Program "Urban Public Transportation (Railway and Bus) " in FY2024/ JICA
- Dec. 2024 Preparatory Survey for BMR Flood Mitigation Integrated MP Project in Thailand (Urban Planning)/ JICA
- Dec. 2024 Advisor for Capacity Improvement of Urban Transport Management in Honiara/ JICA
- Nov. 2024 JICA Thematic Evaluation Study on The Comprehensive Urban Development Programme in Hanoi Capital City (HAIDEP)/ JICA
- Nov. 2024 "Empirical Research on the Social and Economic Impacts of Infrastructure Projects (The 2nd Round)"/ JICA
- Nov. 2024 Data Collection Survey on Climate Change Mitigation Effects of Public Transportation Shift in Lima and Callao Metropolitan Area (Climate Action)/ JICA
- Oct. 2024 Training Program on "Urban Public-Transport Management and Operation in Western Balkans"/ JICA
- Oct. 2024 Survey on Road Traffic Safety Measures in ASEAN (FY2024)/ MLIT
- Sep. 2024 Knowledge Co-Creation Program "Traffic Safety" in FY2024/ JICA
- Sep. 2024 Preliminary Survey for Urban Infrastructure Development Project Formation with Japanese Technologies responding to Rapid Urbanization in Mongolia, in the Philippines in 2024/ MLIT
- Aug. 2024 Knowledge Co-Creation Program "Traffic Safety" in FY2024/ JICA
- Jul. 2024 Survey for Urban Development Project Finding and Housing Market Analsisin the Philippines in 2024/ UR
- Jul. 2024 Preparatory Survey for Traffic Safety Improvement Project in Tanzania (Road Traffic Safety)/ JICA
- Jun. 2024 Smart JAMP Survey for realizing smart cities in the transportation field (2024)/ MLIT
- Mar. 2024 Preparatory Survey for Urban Transportation Plannig Project in Tunis metropolitan area, Tunisia (environmental and social considerations/climate change countermeasures)/ JICA
- Mar. 2024 Comprehensive and Sustainable Urban Development Master Plan Project for Metro Davao Region in the Philippines/ JICA
Previous Projects
Topics
Knowledge Sharing with the Kathmandu Police in Nepal Regarding Road Safety Focused on Education, Enforcement and Gender Considerations
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"
Advisory project for urban transport in Honiara, Solomon Islands has been launched
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. (Mar. 2025)
Solomon Islands Government Official Website Page
Area of business concerned: "03 Urban Transportation Planning"
The last training session for the Project on Capacity Development for Urban Planning in Sri Lanka
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)
Knowledge Co-Creation Program for Comprehensive City Planning with 14 Urban Planners from 13 Countries
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)
Seminar on Area Traffic Control (ATC) System Expansion Masterplan Held in Bangkok
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"
Smarter Mobility Africa (SMA) Summit in South Africa
To explore global trends in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), an ALMEC expert attended the Smarter Mobility Africa (SMA) summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in October 2024.
This event brought together transport experts with a focus on Africa, who shared insights and strategies for improving traffic management across the continent. A major topic of interest was informal transport, as governments are increasingly looking to regulate these operators for better oversight and efficiency.
South Africa, in particular, has introduced a public transport subsidy policy to support this goal. Another key focus was the transition to zero-emission transport. One session on green fleets highlighted subscription-based business that include vehicles and charging facilities to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Financing remains a persistent challenge for developing countries, yet South Africa has effectively leveraged Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in toll expressway projects for over 20 years.
The SMA summit and South Africa's accomplishments in transport projects provide valuable examples for other countries seeking to advance their transport systems. (Nov. 2024)
Area of business concerned: "03 Urban Transportation Planning"
Internship Activity Report by Yokohama National University Student
We regularly host interns from universities. This summer, Mr. Tran The Huy, a Doctoral student from Yokohama National University, under the program of Innovative Asia joined as internship student, from 8th to 31st July. He presented output of his internship program to ALMEC members via online. We would like to share his activity report as below.
During my internship at ALMEC, I was engaged in a series of tasks that gave me a comprehensive understanding of urban mobility challenges and solutions in developing countries. The internship allowed me to explore more real-world scenarios surrounding my research objectives, further enriching my dissertation. In addition, I had a chance to learn about significant project details and gain invaluable experience in transportation planning.
During my internship program, I was assigned to three tasks. The first task was summarizing ride-hailing services (RHS) in developing countries. This task is directly related to my Ph.D. topic, which is about the commuter's travel behaviors toward different types of RHS. This involved extensive research on the current status of RHS across various nations, focusing on key market players, their operational strategies, and their impact on urban transportation systems. I found out the regulatory, operational and market-related challenges faced by these services from case studies in Rwanda, Kenya, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The task deepened my understanding of RHS in different countries, as my study is based on the case of Hanoi, Vietnam. Later, I decided to put the summary table of Task 1 into my final dissertation manuscript.
The last two tasks were guided and explained by my supervisor rather than I did by myself because my internship was relatively short. Despite this, I learned much from his dedicated guidance on these two tasks. The second task was to analyze traffic survey data at a bus terminal in Kigali and develop a conceptual plan for improving urban mobility, including changes to infrastructure, traffic management, and passenger facilities. The final task is to prepare training materials on traffic demand analysis for the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. This task was the most exciting part of the internship because I learned how to implement a traffic development master plan for a city through traffic demand analysis. When I explored materials about urban planning for my bachelor's research, I found related documents such as the HAIDEP and HOUSTRAN that JICA made for Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I always wondered how such master plans could be introduced. With the explanation and demonstration, I was able to follow what was interpreted and understand why and how it was done. I really wish I had more time to do them myself because these tasks are very interesting for an urban planning student like me.
My sincere thanks to the people of ALMEC for a highly enriching experience through a wonderful opportunity. It allowed me to apply my academic knowledge in a practical setting and develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in transportation planning.
Tran The Huy (Oct. 2024)
Smart JAMP Project for the AI-based Real-Time Illegal Parking Detection System in Bangkok
On 10 July 2024, a kick-off meeting for the ‘2024 Smart JAMP Study on Smart City Realization in the Transportation’ (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) was held in Bangkok, Thailand.
This project is conducted as a part of the “Smart City supported by Japan ASEAN Mutual Partnership (Smart JAMP), an initiative by the Japanese Government to support smart cities through Japan-ASEAN mutual cooperation with an aim of developing smart city projects that utilize Japan's advanced technologies and solutions in the transport sector.
Joint Venture of ALMEC and Neural Group Inc. conducted the Study in cooperation with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Metropolitan Police Bureau of Royal Thai Police. The Project will analyze images from existing CCTV cameras installed on the roads with image analysis AI developed by Neural to automatically detect and identify vehicles parked in no-parking zones, in order to achieve smart traffic flow and safe traffic environment.
Using the AI model developed in last year's study, the Study will conduct the real-time analysis of CCTV image from the BMA's traffic control center, detection of offending vehicles and immediate notification to police officers. Furthermore, with a view to full-scale implementation, an effective traffic enforcement system will be proposed based on the actual traffic violation enforcement process and issuing of citations. (Jul. 2024)
Area of business concerned: "06 Planning and Implementation of Transportation Measures"
Preparation of Bus Driver Training Manual in Rwanda
In collaboration with Nippon Koei Co., Ltd., ALMEC is actively involved in JICA's "Kigali Urban Transportation Improvement Project ." This project includes capacity development activities for stakeholders in public transport sector .
As part of the project, the Bus Driver Training Manual is currently being prepared to enhance training programs for bus drivers. Another manual developed in the past JICA Project by bus driver’s instructor of Shinki Bus Co., Ltd., a major Japanese bus operator. It has been modified to reflect local conditions in Rwanda.
Local bus operators supported to take pictures of the buses and drivers in the manual. We hope this manual will be utilized to improve both driving skill and the customer services of drivers. (May 2024)
Area of business concerned: "04 Integrated Planning for Urban and Transportation Development"
Palau's Maritime Transport to Outlying Islands
In February 2024, two ALMEC experts were dispatched to Palau for a two-week on-site mission for the "Information Collection and Study for the Public Transport Systems and Tourism Model Routes to Improve Tourist Convenience in the Republic of Palau" (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, MLIT). As part of this project, we collected information on the actual situation of maritime transport to the remote islands of Palau.
In Palau, most of the residents live on the main islands, and ship services to the five outlying states are easily affected by sea conditions, so regular services are often cancelled. In addition, ships are almost the only lifeline for the residents of the remote islands and are also seen transporting cargo and poultry.
Currently, ships are operated and managed by each state, and the only way to confirm timetables is to call the state government, which is inconvenient for tourists. In addition, there are no public buses in Palau yet at this time, and because of the large amount of luggage, most boat users have their families or colleagues provide transport to and from the boarding area.
Palau is an island country confronting climate change, and we hope to contribute to the fight against global warming by introducing environmentally friendly transportation. (Apr. 2024)
Area of business concerned: "03 Urban Transportation Planning"
