Over the past decades, the city Kitakyushu, located in the southwest of Japan, has transformed from a manufacturing hub into a city putting strong emphasis on sustainability. The city has developed an SDG-based vision, which outlines the city’s main sustainable development targets and actions and sets up a governance framework with a strong focus on citizen participation and private sector engagement. Several local development challenges remain, including population decline, an ageing society and the lack of attractive job opportunities. The SDGs provide a framework to address those challenges in an integrated way. As reflected in Kitakyushu’s Voluntary Local Review and participation in the SDGs Future City initiative, 17 actions shape the local vision to foster sustainable development through, in particular, the transition to low-carbon energy production and a circular economy, female empowerment, inclusion of vulnerable groups and international cooperation.