On July 6, 2025, the Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) celebrated its 7th anniversary. This article highlights the progress made and key developments over the past year, as well as JCI’s plans going forward.

■ Key Achievements from the Past Year

1. 44 New Members Joined, Bringing the Total to 836

JCI, which began with 105 organizations on July 6, 2018, welcomed 44 new members over the past year, bringing the total to 836 organizations over its seven-year history. These include 637 companies, 40 local governments, and 159 other organizations. Among the new members are 35 companies, including 14 listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market, and 9 other organizations.

Among JCI’s corporate members, engagement with initiatives such as RE100 and the Science Based Targets (SBT) continues to expand. Of the 93 Japanese companies participating in RE100, 70 are JCI members. Among the 1,827 Japanese companies that have received SBT certification or committed to setting targets within two years, 211 are JCI members. Additionally, of the 231 Japanese participants in the Race to Zero campaign, 106 are members of JCI.

▶ List of 44 New Members (Joined between July 6, 2024 and July 5, 2025)
▶ Full member list

2. JCI Messages and Proposals

2-1) Calling for an ambitious 2035 target that is consistent with the 1.5 ℃ goal

On July 8, 2024, JCI released a message calling on the Japanese government to set an ambitious 2035 target aligned with the 1.5°C goal. The message urges Japan to adopt a 2035 NDC of at least a 66% reduction in GHG emissions, along with a 7th Strategic Energy Plan that makes this possible. It emphasizes the need for early phase-out of coal-fired power generation by 2035, and rapid fossil fuel phase-out through improvements in energy efficiency and accelerated deployment of renewable energy.

A total of 236 organizations endorsed the message, including 164 companies, 5 local governments, 6 universities and research institutions, and 61 other organizations such as NGOs.

On December 11, 2024, JCI delivered the message in person to Minister of the Environment Keiichiro Asao. Minister Asao responded by stating that he hopes to advance discussions toward achieving net zero by 2050 by listening to the views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including businesses and youth. He also expressed his hope that Japanese actors will actively collaborate with their counterparts overseas.

2-2) Statement on the U.S. Presidential Election Result

On November 8, 2024, in response to the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, JCI Co-Representatives Takejiro Sueyoshi and Sergio Kato issued a joint statement titled “Statement by the JCI Co-representatives in response to the results of the US presidential election.” The statement expressed concern that the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States could have negative implications for global climate action. At the same time, it reaffirmed that climate change remains a top-priority issue, regardless of the administration or policies of any one country. It emphasized that as non-state actors, JCI’s role is to continue advancing climate action without interruption. The statement concluded by declaring JCI’s unwavering commitment to working in solidarity with people around the world to pursue the 1.5°C goal.

3. Strengthening Actions by Japanese Non-State Actors: Events and Engagement

JCI organized a series of events to share information, build connections, and empower climate action among its members.

◇JCI Member Exchange Meetings: Renewable Energy Procurement / Climate Education & Human Resource Development
(September 4, 11, and 18, 2024, in Japanese only)

◇Japan Climate Action Summit 2024 (JCAS2024)(October 18, 2024)

◇Event at COP29 Japan Pavilion
(November 21, 2024)

◇What JCI Members Saw at COP29: The Role of Non-State Actors Moving Forward
(January 17, 2025)

◇Ask the Experts! Q&A Session to Better Understand the SBTi Net-Zero Standard
(June 4, 2025)

■ What Lies Ahead

As global instability increases, there are moments when international alignment on climate action appears to waver. Nevertheless, climate change is steadily progressing, so we must act now to achieve the 1.5°C target. JCI will continue to lead efforts to raise momentum for climate action in Japan, accelerate initiatives by non-state actors, and align Japan’s climate policy with the 1.5°C goal shared by the international community.

1. Japan Climate Action Summit 2025 (JCAS2025)

On November 7, 2025, JCI will host the Japan Climate Action Summit 2025 in a hybrid format (in-person and online) to build further momentum toward decarbonization in Japan. Details will be announced in due course.

2. Participation in International Events

JCI plans to participate in Climate Week NYC (September 21–28, 2025), and is currently assessing participation in COP30 (November 10–21, 2025) as more information becomes available.

▶ List of 44 New Members (Joined between July 6, 2024 and July 5, 2025)

〇 Companies

〇 Others

FC OSAKA
Green Practice Japan
Green x Digital Consortium
GreenFaith
HsI
Protect Our Winters Japan
The Climate Reality Project Japan
Transition Asia
Urayasu D-Rocks