UPDATE – November 21th, 2024: After the release on July 8th, 2024, 20 more JCI members endorsed the message and the total was updated to 236. In addition, comments from several members were released.

Endorsement application was closed.


8 July 2024

<Release> The list of endorsers for the JCI’s Message

JCI calls on the Japanese government to set an ambitious 2035 target
that is consistent with the 1.5-degree goal

The Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) today released a message “JCI calls on the Japanese government to set an ambitious 2035 target that is consistent with the 1.5-degree goal” (Annex 1). The main pillars of the message are “Japan needs the NDC to reduce GHGs by 66% or more in 2035 and the 7th Strategic Energy Plan should be designed to achieve this goal,” and “Now is the time to improve energy efficiency and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.” It is endorsed by 216 organizations (153 companies, 5 local governments, 6 universities and research institutes, 52 organizations and NGOs, etc.) (Annex 2). JCI Co-Representatives Takejiro Sueyoshi and Shigeo Kato sent this message and a list of endorsing organizations to Prime Minister Kishida and other ministers, along with a letter entitled “Respond to the sincere voices of the Japanese non-state actors and develop an ambitious NDC that we can be proud of as a developed country.”

The list of endorsing companies includes 71 TSE Prime listed companies and other Japan’s leading companies in a wide range of industries such as IT, machinery, steel, electronic and electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, transportation, food, retail, housing and construction, civil engineering, and finance. The Japan Climate Leader’s Partnership and the Network of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Business and Energy Future, which are business groups actively promoting climate action, were also named on the list. In addition, a diverse range of non-state actors, including local governments, consumer groups, a religious organization, universities and research institutes, NGOs/NPOs, and youth groups, have endorsed the message.

 

Release PDF
Letter to the Government (Tentative Translation) PDF
Annex1: JCI message PDF
Annex2: List of endorsing organizations PDF

UPDATE – November 21th, 2024: After the release on July 8th, 2024, 20 more JCI members endorsed the message and the total was updated to 236. In addition, comments from several members were released.

Updated list of endorsing organizations PDF
Comments from members / Supporting messages

Related Information – International initiative/organization working on renewable energy expansion also published policy recommendations towards the Japanese government.

RE100 – Recommendations for Japan’s Energy Policy

On June 25, 2024, RE100, which the Japan Climate Leaders Partnership (JCLP) supports as a regional partner, released its “Japan Policy Recommendations”. The recommendations state that 87 Japanese companies, the second largest in the world after the U.S., have committed to the RE100, but due to a shortage of domestic renewable electricity, they are unable to procure enough to meet their goals, and the 7th Basic Energy Plan of Japan needs a target of tripling the generation capacity of renewable energy by 2035 at the latest. In order to achieve this goal, the recommendations also call for six measures, including transparency and fairness in electricity prices.

See the details of the recommendations:
RE100 calls on the Japanese government to urgently grow renewables capacity
Japan policy recommendations

Clean Energy Buyers Association – Issue Brief ENERGY CUSTOMER NEEDS IN JAPAN

On November 22, 2024, the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), a business trade association of a community of energy customers and partners, published “Issue Brief ENERGY CUSTOMER NEEDS IN JAPAN”. It pointed out that the primary challenge for CEBA’s members and their more than 1,000 value chain partners located in Japan is limited access to cost effective renewable energy. CEBA encourages Japan’s government to consider measures that will expand access to cost-effective renewable energy by 2035, accelerate deployment, and advance carbon-free technologies in future years as Japan develops its GX 2.0 and next Strategic Energy Plan.

See the Issue Brief:
CEBA Issue-Brief: Energy Customer Needs in Japan


Letter to the Government (Tentative Translation)

Mr. Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan
Ms. Yoko Kamikawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Shunichi Suzuki, Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Financial Services
Mr. Tetsushi Sakamoto, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Mr. Ken Saito, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Minister for Green Transformation
Mr. Tetsuo Saito, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Mr. Shintaro Ito, Minister of the Environment
Mr. Taro Kono, Minister of State for Regulatory Reform

 

Respond to the sincere voices of the Japanese non-state actors
and develop an ambitious NDC that we can be proud of as a developed country.

The Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) today released a message “JCI calls on the Japanese government to set an ambitious 2035 target that is consistent with the 1.5-degree goal.” (Annex 1). This message was endorsed by 216 organizations (153 companies, 5 local governments, 6 universities and research institutes, and 52 organizations and NGOs, etc.) (Annex 2).

Despite the short timeframe of the call, the number of endorsements has exceeded 200, and they are diverse. Endorsing organizations include companies from a wide range of industries such as IT, machinery, steel, electronics and electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, transportation, food, retail, housing and construction, civil engineering, and finance, including 71 TSE Prime listed companies. The Japan Climate Leaders Partnership and the Network of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Business and Energy Future, which are business groups actively promoting climate action, were also named on the list. In addition, a diverse range of non-state actors, including local governments, consumer groups, a religious organization, universities and research institutes, NGOs/NPOs, and youth groups, have endorsed the message. The number of consumers and members of the general public who belong to these organizations is enormous.

Notably, for the first time ever in Japan, 216 non-state actors, including some of the country’s leading companies, have come forward by name and called for the phase-out of coal-fired power generation by the year 2035. Significantly, they also call for the accelerated deployment of solar and wind power generation, citing figures that show it is possible to increase the share of renewable energy to 65-80% of the electricity supply in 2035. It is no exaggeration to say that domestic stakeholders’ calls for a shift in Japan’s climate policy are reaching a tipping point.

With the release of this JCI Message, we, the Co-Representatives of JCI, sincerely hope that the Japanese government will heed the voices of JCI members, who can be said to be the representatives of Japan, and redetermine its climate policy so that it will be able to play a major role in the global race to decarbonize, alongside the leading group in the fight against the climate crisis, while at the same time paving the way for the future of the country’s industries and economy.

 

July 8, 2024
Takejiro Sueyoshi and Shigeo Kato
Co-Representatives, Japan Climate Initiative

 


Annex1: JCI message

Message from JCI
JCI calls on the Japanese government to set an ambitious 2035 target that is consistent with the 1.5 ℃ goal.

Make this year the year of Japan’s energy policy transformation.
This year is an extremely important year that will determine Japan’s near future. This is because the 7th Strategic Energy Plan and the next NDC, greenhouse gas reduction targets, are expected to be formulated. As the international community intensifies its competition towards decarbonization in order to achieve the world’s 1.5 ℃ goal, Japan’s climate policies and the state of energy supply and demand will not only have a strong impact on people’s health and safety, but also shape the future of Japan’s industry and economy as well as its competitiveness and position in the international community.
Under these circumstances, Japanese non-governmental actors participating in the Japan Climate Initiative, JCI, call on the Japanese government to aim for the following and make this year a turning point in Japan’s energy policy.

Japan needs the NDC to reduce GHGs by 66% or more in 2035 and the 7th Strategic Energy Plan should be designed to achieve that goal.
In the midst of this critical situation referred to as global boiling, the international community is accelerating efforts to achieve the 1.5 ℃ goal. At COP28, the world committed to tripling the world’s installed renewable energy capacity and doubling the energy efficiency improvement rate by 2030, and in February of this year, the European Commission recommended a 90% greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions reduction by 2040 compared to 1990 levels.
Under these circumstances, unless Japan’s next NDC and the 7th Strategic Energy Plan are consistent with the 1.5 ℃ target, it is deeply concerning that Japan will not be able to continue to grow sustainably and demonstrate its international competitiveness, and Japan’s industry will be removed from the global value chain. Furthermore, Japan will no longer be able to protect the health, safety, and employment of the people who form the basis of the industry.
In response to this sense of crisis, we call on the Japanese government to make the next NDC at least 66% or higher compared to 2013 levels, which is equivalent to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s 2035 global GHGs reduction of 60% compared to 2019 levels. We also urge that the 7th Strategic Energy Plan should be formulated in an integrated manner with the NDC, through wide-ranging discussions backed by scientific knowledge, in an open forum that includes the energy demand side and the next generation.

Now is the time to improve energy efficiency and accelerate renewable energy deployment for quickly transitioning away from fossil fuels.
In order for Japan to reduce GHGs by 66% or more compared to 2013 levels by 2035, Japan must achieve its international commitment as a G7 member to fully or predominantly decarbonize the electricity sector by 2035. To this end, it is essential in the 7th Strategic Energy Plan to clarify the phase-out of coal-fired power generation by 2035, as well as to maximize the improvement of energy efficiency and the introduction of renewable energy.
In addition, Japan has already agreed to accelerate efforts to transition away from fossil fuels at COP28, and to phase out coal-fired power generation in the first half of 2030s at the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers’ Meeting in April this year. Therefore, the phase-out of coal-fired power generation by 2035 and the transition away from other fossil fuels as quickly as possible towards 2050 are international commitments that Japan must fulfill, and serve as the basis for the arguments of this proposal.
Various estimates based on scientific grounds show that Japan has sufficient potential to triple its installed renewable energy capacity, and that it is possible to increase the proportion of renewable energy in electricity to 65-80% by 2035.
In order to steadily fulfill these international commitments, we call on the Japanese government to urgently create a foundation for the ultimate improvement in energy efficiency in buildings and product development by making full use of already available technologies as well as the acceleration of the renewable energy deployment centered on solar and wind.

Participation from Japan at the forefront of the world’s efforts to decarbonize.
We believe that in order for Japan to achieve sustainable growth and decarbonization, it is necessary for diverse stakeholders to work together and share their knowledge and experience. JCI will deepen its collaboration with domestic and international non-state actors and governments to contribute to the realization of the 1.5 ℃ goal.

 


Annex2: List of Endorsing Organizations

List of endorsing organizations (alphabetical order) 
(Total 236:Companies: 164 (including bank & investors: 9) *names in bold are TSE Prime listed companies (77) Local Governments: 5, University & Research Institutions:6, Organizations/NGOs: 61 )

Companies (Total 164 (including bank & investors: 9) *names in bold are TSE Prime listed companies (77))

addlight Inc. Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
Advantest Corporation MIYAGI EISEI KANKYO KOSHA, INC.
AEON MALL Co., Ltd. Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.
ANA HOLDINGS INC. Nabtesco Corporation
Anritsu Corporation NAKASHIMA SHOKAI CO., LTD.
ARAKAWA CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD. Neural Inc.
Architects Regional Planners & Associates・Kyoto Next Level Japan K.K.
artience Co., Ltd. NICHIRIN CO., LTD.
Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd. Nikon Corporation
asueku Co., Ltd. Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ltd.
AUCNET INC. NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Benesse Holdings, Inc. Nomura Research Institute, Ltd.
booost technologies, Inc. NTT DATA Group Corporation
Brother Industries, Ltd. OBAYASHI CORPORATION
Business Brain Showa-Ota Inc. office 3.11, Inc.
CAINZ CORPORATION Ohisama-shinpo-energy.Co., Ltd.
Calbee, Inc. Ohkawa Printing Co., Ltd.
Change Agent Inc. OKYA Inc.
CHUGAI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. OTSUKA CORPORATION
Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.
Codo Advisory, Inc. Panasonic Holdings Corporation
COSEL CO.,LTD. Patagonia International Inc.
Crossfor Co., Ltd. Picot Energy Inc
CSR Design Green Investment Advisory, Co., Ltd. POLA ORBIS HOLDINGS INC.
DAI-DAN CO., LTD. Rakuten Group, Inc.
Daitec Co., Ltd. Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.
DAIWA HOUSE INDUSTRY CO., LTD. RedMARS\ADVenture, Inc.
Decarbonization Support Co., Ltd. Renesas Electronics Corporation
Earth Corporation Renewable Japan Co., Ltd.
Eco Style Co., Ltd. Ricoh Company, Ltd. 
Eco Works Co., Ltd. RICOH LEASING COMPANY, LTD. 
EDGE INTERNATIONAL, INC. Rinkai Nissan Construction Co., Ltd.
EDO KAGURA Corporation S Research & Advisory
Eisai Co., Ltd. SAKAE KOUKAN CO., LTD.
EIZO Corporation SAKATA INX CORPORATION
E-Konzal Co., Ltd. SAPPORO HOLDINGS LTD.
ENECLOUD, Inc. SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
ENEOS Renewable Energy Corporation Seiko Epson Corporation
e’s Inc. SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
ESPEC Corp. Sekisui House, Ltd.
E-Square Inc. SequencEnergy CO., LTD.
FINDEX Inc. SHINRYO CORPORATION
Foster Electric Company, Limited SHIONOGI & CO., LTD.
FP Corporation SHIZEN ENERGY Inc.
Fujita Corporation SKYLARK HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Fujitsu Limited Smartpower Corporation.
Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. SOCOTEC Certification Japan Co., Ltd.
GEDF Co., Ltd. SoftBank Group Corp.
Green Power Corporation SOLAR WORLD Co., Ltd.
Greener Space Planning, LLC Sony Group Corporation
G-TEKT CORPORATION South Pole Japan
H.U. Group Holdings, Inc. Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.
Hewlett Packard Japan, G.K. Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd.
i GRID SOLUTIONS, Inc. SUN GEOGRAPHY TECHNICAL CO., LTD.
IDEC CORPORATION Suntory Holdings Limited
J. FRONT RETAILING Co., Ltd. Taiyo Yushi Corp.
Japan Carbon Management Co., Ltd. TAKARAZUKA SUMIRE ELECTRIC POWER
Joshin Denki Co., Ltd. Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd.
KAGOME CO., LTD. TBM Co., Ltd.
Kajiwara Iron Works Co., Ltd. Terras Energy Corporation
Kao Corporation TESS Holdings Co., Ltd.
Kasetsukizai Co., Ltd. The Asahi Shimbun Company
Kawasaki mirai energy TODA KOGYO CORP.
Kikkoman Corporation TOKYO STEEL MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited Uhuru Corporation
Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd. UPDATER, Inc.
KONICA MINOLTA, INC. UTSUMI CO., LTD.
KOSÉ Corporation Wacom Co., Ltd.
KUBOTA Corporation Wastebox, Inc.
Kumagai Gumi Co., Ltd. WATERSTAND Co., Ltd.
LIXIL Corporation Xenesys Inc.
LLC Odawara-kanagote Farm YAMATO JYUKEN, INC
LY Corporation Yamaha Corporation
Machi Mirai Seisakusyo Co., Ltd. Yano Research Institute Ltd.
MAEDA CORPORATION YOROZU CORPORATION
Maeda Road Construction Co., Ltd. Zero Energy Company (ZEC),Inc.
Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. Zeroboard Inc.
Miraisozobu

Bank & Investors (9)

AMAGASAKI SHINKIN BANK
Daiwa House Asset Management Co., Ltd.
Daiwa House REIT Investment Corporation
Japan Real Estate Asset Management Co., Ltd.
Nomura Real Estate Asset Management Co., Ltd.
Schroder Investment Management (Japan) Limited
SHIGA BANK, ltd.
Shinkin Central Bank
Shizuoka Yaizu Shinkin Bank

Local governments (16)

Kawasaki City
Musashino City Government Office
Omihachiman City
Setagaya City
Toyonaka City

University & Research Institutions (Total 6)

Chiba University of Commerce
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
Renewable Energy Institute
Sacred Heart Institute for Sustainable Futures
SLSV CES INSTITUTE
Sophia University

Organizations/NGOs (61)

act beyond trust Japan Kiribati Association
Act-Kawasaki Japan Solvent Recycling Industry Association
Association to create a society with a consumer citizenship Japan Workers’ Co-operative Union
Atsugi Citizens’ Power Station Japan Youth Conference
CDP Worldwide-Japan Japan Youth Platform for Sustainability (JYPS)
Citizens’ Alliance for Saving the Atmosphere and the Earth Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU)
Citizens for Renewable Energy Promotion,Takarazuka Kiko Network
Climate Action Network Japan (CAN-Japan) Network of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Business and Energy Future
Climate Youth Japan Oisoeneshift
Collective Action Institute OSAKA YMCA
CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY KAGOSHIMA Palsystem Consumers’ Co-operative Union
CONSUMERS.JAPAN Peace & Nature
consumers-kyoto Peace Boat
Co-opdeli Consumers’ Co-operative Union Renewable Energy Organization of Hokkaido
Earth Life Network Soka Gakkai
Eco Work Jissenjuku Solar Design Consortium
elsa Solarbear Fund
Environmental Veterans Firm Studio Ichigo
Ethical Association Sustainability Forum Japan
Federation for Promotion of Zero-Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy Sustainable Management Forum of Japan
Fukui Small Hydropower Plant Promotion Council Syonan Syoenetworking
Green Building Japan The Kawasaki Chamber Of Commerce and Industry
Green Practice Japan Tokorozawa Environmental People’s Association
Greenpeace Japan Tokorozawa People’s Solar
Hokkaido Green Fund Tokushima Regional Energy General Incorporated Association
Ichigo Bloom Ueda Citizen’s Energy
Institute for Geothermal Information Utsukushima NPO Network
Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP) WEATHER CASTER NETWORK
Japan Association of Environment and Society for the 21st Century (JAES21) WWF Japan
Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership Zeroemi
Japan Environmental Lawyers for Future

■Comments from the endorsing members (in alphabetical order)

Sachihiko Harashina, President, Chiba University of Commerce
Universities, as members of society, have the responsibility to tackle and promote decarbonization As the first challenger, the Chiba University of Commerce became the first 100% Renewable Energy university in Japan in 2019. We then joined the UN Race to Zero campaign, and to extend our activities to other universities, launched the Renewable Energy University League of Japan. The task of universities is to educate people and conduct research to further promote decarbonization. Each university must collaborate with divers stakeholders such as governments, companies, and NGOs as the hub of regional decarbonization.

Masafumi Hikima, CFA, Professor and Executive Director of Finance, Sophia University
Sophia University is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 as part of its medium- to long-term plan. This initiative is being advanced through a multi-faceted approach across three key areas:

  1. Education and Research: The university is integrating a multidisciplinary approach to address global environmental issues, collaborating with various enterprises in this endeavor.
  2. Operational Changes: As an institution, Sophia University is accelerating efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a comprehensive transition to renewable energy sources and engaging students in 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) activities.
  3. Sustainable Investment: Acting as a responsible asset owner, the university is promoting sustainable investments that contribute to decarbonization.

Achieving the 1.5°C target requires ambitious government policies and collaboration among various economic entities, including local governments, businesses, investors, NGOs, and NPOs. Sophia University emphasizes strengthening its decarbonization efforts while collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including the government.

Hiroko Ida, weather forecaster, newscaster / Chairperson, Weather Caster Network
Weather phenomena have been becoming more extreme since the 2000s.
It is scientifically clear that global warming is the cause of the increase in abnormal weather, such as rising temperatures, extreme heavy rains, and stronger typhoons.
Even if we achieve carbon neutrality in the future, abnormal weather will not suddenly decrease, and we will have to adapt to and live in even more severe conditions than the current climate.
In order to move towards a more livable future, even if only little by little, we must achieve the 1.5℃ target as much as possible. To do this, it is essential to move away from fossil fuels and accelerate the introduction of renewable energy.
I hope that the government and other actors will not turn a blind eye to this fact and will take a proactive stance moving forward.

Luna Serigano, Campaigner, Japan Youth Conference
2050 may feel like a distant future, but as I was born in 2002, I will still be 48 years old in 2050. The negative effects of climate change are already visible in Japan, with scorching heat waves and floods. The transition needed to reach the 1.5 degree target in areas like politics and economy is not a transition that we start “someday,” but is an action we must take now.  To do this, I call for an NDC target of 78% and a significant increase in the share of renewable energy. I urge a rapid shift in policies without being bound by past constraints, to create a world where future generations can thrive-before it is too late.

Sandra Wu, Wen-Hsiu, Chairperson and CEO, Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Kokusai Kogyo is focusing on decarbonizing its own operations and providing local governments and businesses with technological solutions for decarbonization to fulfill its mission: create a better world to pass onto future generations, through geospatial information.
At the same time, we also need society as a whole to accelerate its efforts to realize a decarbonized society. We call on our government to take action for acceleration, establishing social systems that ensure a stable supply of decarbonizing materials, recyclable fuels, and renewable energy at reasonable prices; and making decarbonization efforts mandatory in public procurement.

Green Practice Japan
“The climate crisis is a crisis of life.” Air pollution from burning fossil fuels kills 5-8 million people a year worldwide and 40,000-50,000 people a year in Japan. Green Practice Japan are conveying the message that protecting the global environment leads to the protection of life and health, and we are taking action to achieve this. Through NDC and the 7th Basic Energy Plan, consistent with the 1.5°C target, we call for a shift away from fossil fuels and a significant expansion of renewable energy as a “means to protect people’s health”.

■Supporting messages
Seita Emori, Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo
We are currently living on the hottest Earth in the last 100,000 years.
The global average temperature over the 12 months since last June has already risen over 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels. This is a temporary upswing, but if things continue as they are, we will reach an average rise of 1.5℃ in the next 10 years or so. First of all, I would like to share this sense of urgency.
The IPCC reduction rate that is consistent with the 1.5℃ target to which JCI message refers is for the entire world, but from the perspective of fairness, Japan, as a developed country, should reduce at a faster pace than this. Considering this, we must recognize that Japan’s “66% reduction by 2035 compared to 2013 ” is actually a “lenient” target in terms of consistency with the 1.5℃ target.
In order for major changes in society to occur quickly and equitably, we need not only to reconcile the interests of stakeholders at various levels of society, but also new ideas and initiatives that can turn situations that appear to be conflicts of interest into win-win situations.
I hope that setting high goals will accelerate such changes immediately.

Julia Skorupska, Head of Secretariat, Powering Past Call Alliance
To keep 1.5c within reach, developed countries must phase-out unabated coal power by 2030. The G7 commitment to phase-out coal-fired power generation in the first half of the 2030s is a positive first step.
For Japan, an accelerated coal to clean transition is a chance to drive long-term prosperity and security, in a way which harnesses the power of local economies and boosts Japan’s position as a global energy transition leader. Recognising that Japan faces unique challenges and opportunities in the coal to clean transition, the Powering Past Coal Alliance is ready to work with Japan and its non-state actors, building on our experience working with over 180 governments, local government and business members, including the rest of the G7.