The Japan Climate Initiative (hereinafter referred to as “JCI”) issued a statement entitled “Japan needs an ambitious long-term strategy to show Japan’s decarbonization leadership to the world” in response to the draft “Long-Term Strategy under the Paris Agreement as A Growth Strategy” to address global warming towards 2050. 211 JCI signatories (143 companies, 26 municipalities, 42 organizations) have agreed on the message as of May 16.
The message stated that “in the Japanese context, the most important set of measures for the realization of a decarbonized society is to promote energy efficiency in a comprehensive manner and maximize the use of renewable energy.” The message also indicated that “in Japan, in particular, the renewable energy target of the Japanese government should be further raised as it is the key to significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels such as coal in the years ahead.”
The Japanese government will complete the long-term strategy after the public comment period until May 16 closes. It is expected to unveil the final version of its long-term strategy by the G20 Osaka Summit in June.
JCI is a network of companies, local governments, NPO/NGOs and other subnational and non-state actors committed to stand at the forefront of the climate challenge alongside with the world in order to realize the decarbonized society demanded by the Paris Agreement. As such, JCI strongly asks for the long term strategy to be more ambitious and truly aligned with the Paris Agreement. This will allow Japan to show real leadership to the world when it comes to addressing the climate crisis. The future of Japan and the future of the world depend on Japan’s leadership at this critical juncture.
Japan needs an ambitious long-term strategy to show
Japan’s decarbonization leadership to the world
Statement of the Japan Climate Initiative in response to the Japanese Government’s draft long-term strategy
As the Paris Agreement moves to the implementation stage, Japan must accelerate its efforts towards decarbonization.
Given that Japan holds this year’s G20 Presidency, 2019 will be a great opportunity for Japan to show the international community its leadership when it comes to decarbonization. The Japanese government is preparing its long-term strategy based on the proposal developed by a special advisory council known as “ Meeting for the Long-Term Strategy under the Paris Agreement as A Growth Strategy.” The proposal was published on April 2nd as part of a process[1] that will culminate with the presentation of Japan’s strategy by the G20 Osaka 2019 Summit.
Last October, the 1.5 °C Special Report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showed that the world needs to reach “net zero” by 2050 and reduce CO2 emissions by about 45% by 2030 relative to 2010 levels in order to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 °C. The proposal of “Long-Term Strategy under the Paris Agreement as A Growth Strategy” recognized that the urgency and the need to enhance climate actions highlighted in the report were widely accepted by the international community. The proposal also asked the Japanese government to set the future vision of the decarbonized society as a final target and to aim to achieve it as early as possible in the second half of this century.
In the Japanese context, the most important set of measures to realize a decarbonized society is to promote energy efficiency in a comprehensive manner and maximize the use of renewable energy. In Japan, in particular, the renewable energy target of the Japanese government should be further raised as it is the key to significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels such as coal in the years ahead.
Amid the world’s accelerating decarbonization trend, many companies and local governments in Japan are starting to work beyond the conventional government plans to achieve greater use of renewable energy and zero emissions. The long-term strategy developed by the government must support such pioneering efforts by Japanese actors to accelerate their efforts and contribute to building the decarbonized society that we need in Japan.
If the government issues a clear message for decarbonization, it will further accelerate the leading efforts by private sectors and local governments, and contribute to making Japan an advanced country when it comes to the business of decarbonization.
As a member of the Japan Climate Initiative that promised to stand at the frontline of the climate challenge along with the world to realize the decarbonized society demanded by the Paris Agreement, we strongly ask for a more ambitious long term strategy that shows Japan’s leadership to the world when it comes to addressing climate change.
May16, 2019
[1] The national government-led process included: (a) the establishment of a special advisory council known as “Meeting for the Long-term Strategy under the Paris Agreement as a Growth Strategy;” (b) the development of a series of recommendations by the advisory council which are meant to serve as the basis for the national government’s long-term strategy (LTS) draft, published on April 2; (c) the publication of the draft LTS on April 23; (d) about 3 weeks public comment period which ended on May 16; and (d) the incorporation of public comments; and e) the publication of the final version of the LTS, expected right before the G20 meetings in Osaka, Japan, in June.
Signatories (alphabetical order)
(Total 212: including 144 companies, 26 cities/Municipalities and 42 others)
as of 16 May
* Signatories that agreed on the message after the press release will be added in the list each time.
Companies (Total 144)
ADVANTEST CORPORATION
AEON CO., LTD.
Aica Kogyo Co., Ltd.
AMITA HOLDINGS CO.,LTD.
Amundi Japan Ltd.
Architects Regional Planners ＆Associates・Kyoto
ASAHI GROUP HOLDINGS, LTD
ATGREEN Co., Ltd.
BIOLOGIC PHILOSOPHY Co., Ltd.
BNP Paribas Securities (Japan) Limited
Calbee, Inc.
CalNeCo, Inc.
CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
Challenergy Inc.
Chuhgoku Wind-Power Co., Ltd.
Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
Clean Energy lab GK
CSR Design Green Investment Advisory
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Daitec Co., Ltd.
Daito Trust Construction Co., Ltd.
Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.
Decarbonization Support Co., Ltd.
Dentsu Inc.
Eco Works Co., Ltd.
Ecoairsolution Co.Ltd
Ecolinx
ECOPLAN CO.,LTD
EDGE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
E-Konzal Co., Ltd.
energy311
Environmental Business Agency, Inc.
erex Co., Ltd.
e’s Inc.
ESPEC Corp.
E-Square Inc.
F&E Ashigarakintarou Energy Power
FP Corporation
Fujikura Ltd.
Fujitsu Limited
GreenPowerCorporation
GRID&FINANCE ADVISORS Inc.
Hakuhodo Inc.
iiie co., ltd.
INSTITUTE FOR ENERGY APPLICATION TECHNOLOGIES,LTD.
Issei Co., Ltd.
ITO EN, LTD．
ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation
J. FRONT RETAILING Co., Ltd.
Japan carbon management Co.
Japan Renewable Energy Corporation
Japan Waste Co., Ltd.
Jutaku Setsubi Assist
Kanagote Farm
Kao Corporation
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
KK. Oomura Co.
KOBAYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd.
KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
KOSÉ Corporation
Kubota Corporation
KYOCERA Corporation
LIMONE LLC
Lion Corporation
LIXIL Group Corporation
MAEDA CORPORATION
MARUI GROUP CO., LTD.
Minna-Denryoku, Inc.
minnanomachidukuri co.ltd
MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc.
MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
Nabtesco Corporation
NAKASHIMA SHOKAI CO., LTD
NEC Corporation
Next Energy & Resources Co., Ltd.
Nextshift Co., Ltd
Nice Holdings, Inc.
NIHON PLAST CO., LTD
Nikkei Panel System Company,Ltd.
Nikon Corporation
NIPPON FLOUR MILLS Co., Ltd.
Nippon Gas
Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ltd.
Nomura Real Estate Asset Management Co., Ltd.
Nomura Research Institute, Ltd.
NTT DATA Corporation
NTT FACILITIES, INC.
NYKLine
Ohisama Energy Station Co., Ltd.
Okaken-Home
Panasonic Corporation
Patagonia International Inc.
Picot Energy Inc
Progresstec co., ltd
Refine Holdings Co., Ltd.
Renewable Japan Co.,Ltd.
RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
SAKAE KOUKAN CO., LTD
Sanyo Syoji CO., LTD.
SAPPORO HOLDINGS LTD.
SB Energy Corp.
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
Sekisui House, Ltd.
Sekisui Jushi Corporation
Shinkin Central Bank
SHIZEN ENERGY Inc.
SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation
SMART SOLAR CORPORATION
SoftBank Group Corp.
SOHGO SECURITY SERVISES CO., LTD.
SOLAR WORLD Co., Ltd.
Sompo Holdings, Inc.
Sony Corporation
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc.
SUN GEOGRAPHY TECHNICAL CO., LTD.
Sun Messe Co., Ltd.
Suntory Holdings Limited
SUZUKI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
SymEnergy Inc.
Takasago International Corporation
Takashimaya Co., Ltd.
Takeuchiteien
TBM Co., Ltd.
TECHNO ASSOCIE CO., LTD.
Teijin Ltd.
TERA Energy
The Asahi Shimbun Company
The Banshu Shinkin Bank
The Japan Times, Ltd.
THE SHIGA BANK，LTD．
TSUKAMOTO CORPORATION CO., LTD.
Unicharm Corporation
Virtual Harmony Co., Ltd.
WasteBox Co., Ltd.
Watami Farm & Energy Co., Ltd.
Woonerf Inc.
XSOL CO., LTD.
Yamato juken Co.Ltd
YANMAR CO., LTD.
YATSUMOTO TSUSHO CO.,LTD
Cities/Municipalities (Total 26)
City of Kitakyushu
City of Sapporo
Hakone Town
Hamamatsu City
Kagoshima City
Kanagawa Prefectural Government
Kawasaki City
Kyoto City
Kyoto Prefecture
Matsuda Town
Matsuyama City
Nagano Prefecture
Odawara City
Omihachiman City
Osaka City
Otsu City
Sakai City
Setagaya City
Shiga Prefecture
Suita City
Takamatsu City
Tokushima Prefecture
Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Toyonaka City
Yamanashi Prefecture
Yokohama City
Others (Total 42)
BIO HOTELS JAPAN
Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry
Chiba University of Commerce
Citizens’ Alliance for Saving the Atmosphere and the Earth
Climate Action Network Japan (CAN-Japan)
CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY KAGOSHIMA
Co-opdeli Consumers’ Co-operative Union
Forever-Green
General Incorporated Association ENV
General Incorporated Association Urbanist
Green Purchasing Network
Hokkaido Green Purchasing Network
Honmon Butsuryu Shu (HBS)
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP)
Japan Community Power Association
Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA)
Japan RPF Association
Japan Solvent Recycling Industry Association
kameplan architects
Kochi Renewable Energy Association
Kyoto HBS Museum
Low Carbon Society Promotion Association
Network of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Business and Energy Future
NPOHOUJINMEBUKI
Oisoeneshift
Palsystem Consumers’ Co-operative Union
Sera Creations
SLSV CES INSTITUTE
Sustainable Economy Association
The Association for Promotion of ZEH
The Kawasaki Chamber Of Commerce and Industry
The Research Institute for Environmental Finance
Tokushima Regional Energy General Incorporated Association
Ueda shimin enerugii
Utsukushima NPO Network (NPO)
WEATHER CASTER NETWORK
World Environment Improvement Organization
Yamahana Law Office
CDP Worldwide-Japan
Renewable Energy Institute
WWF Japan
