Japan for Sustainability

Low-emission Vehicles Catch On Faster Than Expected

2009-11-07T21:00:15Z

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIAC), on June 26, 2009, released an interim assessment report on the policy, "Creating the World Most Advanced 'Low-Emissions Vehicle' society," which was implemented in 2004 in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT), and the Ministry of the Environment, with the aim of increasing the number of low-emission vehicles to 10 million and the number of fuel cell vehicles to 50,000 by the year 2010. While the spread of low-emission vehicles reached the numerical target ahead of schedule, only 42 fuel cell vehicles had been sold by the end of fiscal 2007, significantly less than the target.

Field research among auto manufacturers, dealers, and users shows that the number of low-emission vehicles owned -- natural gas vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, methanol-fueled vehicles, the ministry approved fuel efficient and low-emission vehicles -- reached the target at the end of fiscal 2005, and the total units sold hit 16.47 million at the end of fiscal 2007.

However, ministry approved fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles account for 97 percent of such vehicles. With respect to natural gas and electric vehicles, issues regarding vehicle prices and the fueling infrastructure have been pointed out.

The assessment suggests that the ministries need to consider the particular characteristics of each kind of vehicle in order to create a society with low-emission vehicles.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIAC) official website
http://www.soumu.go.jp/english/

Posted: 2009/11/08 06:00:15 AM

Three Japanese Hotels Awarded First 'Green Key' Label in Asia

2009-11-06T21:00:15Z

Photo courtesy of FEE Japan

The Ginza Yoshimizu Inn (Tokyo), Myojinkan (Tobira Spa, Nagano Prefecture), and Hotel Rich & Garden Sakata (in the city of Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture) became the first three eco-hotels in Japan to be awarded the Green Key, an international eco-label for tourism facilities that covers Japan as well as Asia. The achievement was announced in May 2009.

Started in 1994 in Denmark, the Green Key program is implemented by the international non-governmental organization, Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), and has spread out to the world since 2003. The program in Japan was started in March 2009.

A wide range of factors, including how food is procured and facility workers' efforts in environmental activities, are evaluated for awarding use of the Green Key label. To qualify, facilities need to meet 80 mandatory criteria on the environment out of 103 special criteria. After applying, it took about a year for the Ginza Yoshimizu Inn to be awarded.

FEE Japan intends to increase the number of certified facilities, with the aim of disseminating the Green Key as one of the criteria for choosing tourism facilities.

Green Key official website
http://www.feejapan.org/greenkey_en/news.htm

Posted: 2009/11/0706:0015 AM

'Japan's First Food Miles' Cafe Gaining Popularity

2009-11-05T21:00:15Z

The Association to Preserve the Earth (Daichi wo Mamoru Kai, in Japanese), a corporation that provides an organic food home-delivery service, launched Japan's first "food miles" cafe, at Jiyugaoka in Tokyo, April 1, 2009, and it is turning out to be a success. The Tsucione Cafe serves up dishes using organic and additive-free vegetables and food ingredients, and it also indicates on the menu its food-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, in terms of "food miles," or the distance travelled by food to get to the restaurant.

Except for foods with "fair trade" certification, the association uses as much grown-in-Japan ingredients as possible. The company launched its food miles campaign in 2005 to promote the use of local products by indicating food miles on its menus in "pocos," with one poco representing 100 grams of CO2 emissions for food transport.

The chefs use seasonal vegetables, free-run chicken eggs raised on feed produced in Japan, and beef from short-horned cattle (Tankaku) from the village of Yamagata, in Kuji, Iwate Prefecture. Also, the seasonings and any processed foods used are made from healthy ingredients. The cafe's menu includes a wide variety of items ranging from breakfast, lunch, and dinner items to cake for dessert.

With a convenient space provided for storing baby strollers, a space covered with tatami mats, and a nursing room, the cafe is geared for customers with children. The floor is made of larch wood from Hokkaido. Japanese oak tables and tatami mats made from special rush grass from Kyushu furnish the space, while the interior design and layout are kept simple and natural.

[Newsletter] Daichi-o-Mamoru-Kai(Association to Preserve the Earth) No.36 (August 2005)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/mailmagazine/newsletter/pages/
027961.html
Daichi wo Mamoru Kai Opens Noodle Soup Shop Using Domestic Rice (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029365.html

Posted: 2009/11/06 06:00:15 AM

Nissan Motor Completes Eco-Friendly Global Headquarters

2009-11-04T21:00:15Z

Japan's Nissan Motor Co. held a ceremony marking the completion of its new headquarters, called the Nissan Global Headquarters, on August 2, 2009, in the Minato Mirai 21 district, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Compared with the old headquarters building, the new one is more eco-friendly, and has achieved a more than 27-percent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The building received the highest "S Rank" rating from the Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) organization.

All the exterior walls consist of sash bars and glass, plus five sets of condensing lenses which track the sun automatically and maximize the amount of sunlight in the central channel of the building. Window louvers, one of the distinctive features of its exterior, play the role of reed screen or traditional Japanese window shades to control the amount of direct sunlight allowed during summer, and actively receiving it in other seasons. As a result, the louvers contribute to a reduction of power consumption for air-conditioning as well as lighting.

In addition, active use of fresh outside air enables the building to save on air-conditioning energy consumption, taking advantage of the natural ventilation of ascending air currents generated by the central channel of the building. In terms of saving water, rainwater and miscellaneous drainage systems, including that from the kitchen, are processed and used as sanitation water and for watering plants.

Yokohama, Nissan Motor to Target Zero Emissions (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028788.html
Nissan Motor Selected for Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for Second Consecutive Year (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028768.html
Nissan Global Headquarters
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/COMPANY/HQ/

Posted: 2009/11/05 06:00:15 AM

Mitsubishi Electric Releases 'Smart' AC, Advising Energy-Conscious Actions

2009-11-03T21:00:15Z

Japan's Mitsubishi Electric Corp. released eight new models of "Kirigamine Move-Eye Navi ZW" series room air conditioners on October 23, 2009. The launch of this new series had been earlier announced on August 24, 2009. Incorporating the company's original sensing technology, the ZW series are equipped with a navigation system that displays advice on the remote control that leads to saving electricity. The remote control will show examples with aims to guide users how they could act more energy-efficiently.

The infrared sensor, "Move-Eye Navi," devides the room into a 732 mesh structure and measures floor and wall temperatures in the room and monitors the location of people by moving left and right 160 degrees. The input taken by the Move-Eye Navi is then fed to the remote control which displays energy-saving advice such as closing curtains or doors, switching operating mode according to the outside temperature and switching between the dehumidifier and cooling modes.

New Air Conditioners with Infrared Sensors Reduce Energy Use by up to 50% (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026571.html
City of Anjo Gives Households Electricity Consumption Monitors for Study (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028831.html

Posted: 2009/11/04 06:00:15 AM

Fuel Cell Hybrid Train Attain 70% Energy Efficiency Rate

2009-11-02T21:00:15Z

The Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI), which oversees the railway technology research and development for Japan Railway companies, announced at its monthly briefing on July 16, 2009, that it has developed a two-car fuel cell/battery hybrid prototype train, and has conducted a test run. The model is intended to replace both diesel and electric railcars in the future.

The RTRI initiated the development of fuel cell trains in fiscal 2001 and has been testing a single-car fuel cell hybrid train since April 2006. The latest prototype runs on electricity generated by the 120 kW polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC), which uses hydrogen fuel, while a 360 kW lithium-ion battery is recharged during operation and through regenerative braking. The two-car model demonstrated improved acceleration, recording 70 percent energy efficiency rate during the test run.

The RTRI plans to continue testing the prototype in order to evaluate its performance under various conditions, and to conduct an investigative study of the 300 kW-class fuel cell that is required for the practical application of hybrid trains.

World's First Hybrid Rail Car Developed (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/025244.html
East Japan Railway Develops World's First Fuel Cell Hybrid Railcar (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026406.html
Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo Japan official website
http://www.rtri.or.jp/

Posted: 2009/11/03 06:00:15 AM

Taisei Corp. to Use Newly Developed Sunlighting System in High-Rise Building

2009-11-01T21:00:15Z

Taisei Corp., a major Japanese construction company, has adopted its new sunlighting system, T-Soleil, to Minato Mirai Center Building, which is now being constructed in Minato Mirai Area, Yokohama City. The system, which was released in March 2006, allows sunlight to be taken into the building from the rooftop.

Through this system, natural sunlight taken in at the rooftop is transmitted to the other floors using an automatic sunlight tracking mirror and multistage mirrors placed within an 80-meter high stairwell (spanning the fourth floor to the roof) in the central part of the 21-storey building (height, ~100 meters). In combination with other energy-saving technology, including heat-blocking technology and lighting control, this system is expected to cut electricity use and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 32 percent from current levels.

This building received the highest "S" rank certification of the Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency in Yokohama (CASBEE Yokohama). In addition to the use of sunlight, a variety of features of this building scored highly, including greening of building surfaces, use of rainwater, durability improvements and consideration toward city appearance and landscape. The building is scheduled to be completed in May 2010.

Taisei Corp. Designs Practical Sunlighting System Using Mirrors (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026357.html
Taisei Corp. official website
http://www.taisei.co.jp/english/

Posted: 2009/11/02 06:00:15 AM

Japan's Environment Ministry Releases Visions for 80% GHG Emissions Reduction

2009-10-31T21:00:15Z

The Japanese Ministry of the Environment released on August 14, 2009, two versions of visions for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 percent from 2005 levels by 2050 while maintaining the current standard of living. These visions were developed in response to the declaration made by the G-8 leaders at the L'Aquila Summit held in July 2009, which included reducing GHG emissions by 80 percent or more by 2050.

The Vision A, or "economic development and technology-oriented vision," assumes that Japan's per capita GDP will grow at two percent per year and technology development will accelerate. The Vision B, or "decentralized economy and nature-oriented vision," assumes a one-percent annual increase in per capita GDP and development of a decentralized economy driven by population dispersion to rural areas. Each vision presents necessary measures to achieve the 80 percent GHG reductions.

Both visions call for a significantly increased share of renewable energy in the nation's primary energy supply (Vision A=28 percent; B=40 percent) as well as a capacity increase by 120 (Vision A) to 140 times (Vision B) the 2005 levels for solar power generation. The visions also list requirements such as adoption and wider use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at thermal power plants (all thermal power plants in vision A), a complete transition to hybrid and electric vehicles, the conversion of all buildings to super insulated houses or energy-efficient buildings, and the installation of water heaters that use heat pumps or solar technology in the majority of houses in Japan.

In terms of government policies, the visions deem it necessary to fully implement an emissions trading system and review the tax system to introduce a carbon tax.

Japan's Ministry of the Environment official website
http://www.env.go.jp/en/

Posted: 2009/11/01 06:00:15 AM

Toyota Housing Develops Large Eco-Friendly Residential Development

2009-10-30T21:00:15Z

Toyota Housing Corp. of Japan started on July 18, 2009, selling houses in a new "green" residential development in Kasugai City, Aichi Prefecture. The ceremony to celebrate the opening of the development was held on the same day.

The residential development is large, featuring 171 lots in total. Each lot is equipped with an underground water tank to store rainwater for home use. The use of rainwater will not only reduce water consumption but also reduce energy consumption at water filtration plants, thereby saving overall power consumption in the district. In addition, the company established guidelines both for planting greenery and exterior designs with an aim to create a beautiful area and living environment surrounded by lush greenery which will contribute to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2).

The houses built in the development are Toyota Housing's homes which are well-insulated to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions. The company also encourages customers to install other eco-friendly systems in their houses, such as a solar power systems and an "eco cute," a heat-pump water heater utilizing carbon dioxide.

Toyota Launches Development of Home Energy Management System with Power Storage Function (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029108.html

Posted: 2009/10/31 06:00:15 AM

Asahi Breweries to Donate Part of Sales Proceeds for Environmental Protection

2009-10-29T21:00:15Z

Asahi Breweries, Ltd., a major Japanese brewer, announced on August 25, 2009, the second round of a project that donates a portion of the proceeds from its main product, Asahi Super Dry beer, to prefectures where the sales take place. The donations fund local efforts to preserve the natural environment and cultural heritage sites. This is the second round of this same project which was implemented this past spring, and raised a total of 219,792,528 yen (about U.S.$2.4 million) nationwide.

In addition to the two sizes of canned Asahi Super Dry used last time, two sizes of bottled versions -- often carried by restaurants - will be eligible under the program. For each of these eligible bottles or cans of Asahi Super Dry manufactured between the end of September and the end of December 2009, the company will set aside one yen (about one US cent) per can or bottle, and distribute the money to prefectures according to the sales volume. The company has already decided how they plan to use the funds for each prefecture after the discussion with local governments and NPOs.

The company plans to continue this project after 2009 as a mid- to long-term measure. At the same time, it hopes to foster employee participation in local volunteer activities.

Asahi First Brewery in Japan to Produce Beer with Green Power (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029200.html
Unique Brewing Technology Reduces CO2 Emissions by 30% (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028653.html
Asahi Breweries' Forest Certified for Absorbing CO2 Emissions (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/027991.html
Asahi Breweries, Ltd., official website
http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/english/

Posted: 2009/10/30 06:00:15 AM

Ministry Releases Safety and Environmental Guidelines of CCS Pilot Project

2009-10-28T21:00:15Z

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released on August 7, 2009, guidelines on safety and environmental standards that should be observed in implementing large-scale carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) pilot projects. The report was compiled based on discussions of two working groups -- the Working Group on Safety Standards for CCS Implementation and the Working Group for Ensuring Long-Term Safety -- established by the ministry's CCS study group.

The guidelines set safety and environmental standards for a series of processes in CCS projects, including geological considerations in examining candidate sites for CCS projects, issues related to carbon dioxide capture and transport, post-storage monitoring items, and actions to be taken if an abnormal situation arises.

When CCS technologies are put into practical use, the CCS study group will review the standards based on not only information obtained from pilot projects but also the latest efforts on ensuring safety and CCS projects in other countries along with their regulatory trends.

The government's action plan for achieving a low-carbon society, approved by the cabinet on July 29, 2008, stipulates that Japan will commence large-scale CCS pilot projects early after FY 2009 and put CCS into practical use by 2020. Following this decision, the efforts for practical application of CCS were started. Regarding case examples, please refer to the JFS article mentioned below.

Geological Survey to Start for Demonstration of CO2 Sequestration, off Hokkaido (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029428.html
Report by the Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) Study Group
http://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/
data/20090807_02.html

Posted: 2009/10/29 06:00:15 AM

EV Fast-Charging Service to Be Tested at Gas Stations

2009-10-27T21:00:15Z

Nippon Oil Corp. (oil distributor), NEC Corp. (electronic manufacturer) and Nihon Unisys, Ltd. (ICT service provider) jointly started a pilot project, commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, to provide a fast-charging service for electric vehicles at gas stations from October 2009 to the end of March 2010.

Nippon Oil will install quick chargers at its 22 gas stations across the nation, primarily in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture. Using 20 of Mitsubishi Motors' electric cars, "iMiEV," the company will explore and verify the customer need for fast-charging services, as well as additional services to be offered during fast-charging. Nippon Oil will also consider the most appropriate method to charge fees and authenticate subscribers to the service.

NEC will provide the quick chargers and relevant software (authentication and billing systems, and a control system) in order to verify their operability and reliability. Meanwhile, Nihon Unisys will develop and test a system that provides information on the location of charging stations and their availability through a car navigation system.

At a gas station in Fukuoka Prefecture, a photovoltaic system is to be installed to supply power to the quick charger, with the aim of identifying technical problems and assessing economic viability. Furthermore, at three gas stations, an EV sharing service will be offered to investigate the potential of this business.

Installation of EV Charging Stations Making Progress in Tokyo and Kanagawa (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028974.html
Japanese Retailer to Open Eco-Shopping Center with EV Battery Charging Station (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028548.html
Japan Post Service to Convert Entire Mail Delivery Fleet to Eco-Friendly Vehicles (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/027183.html
Lawson to Introduce EVs for Store Visits in Major Cities (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029426.html

Posted: 2009/10/28 06:00:15 AM

[Newsletter] Helping Conserve the Global Environment through CSR Financing -- Sompo Japan Insurance Inc.

2009-10-27T00:16:34Z

JFS Newsletter No.85 (September 2009)
"Towards a Sustainable Japan -- Corporations at Work" (No. 83)
http://www.sompo-japan.co.jp/english/index.html

In the face of various planetary environmental problems such as climate change and the biodiversity crisis, the insurance and financial industries are now being expected to play a new role that is based on their core business activities. Examples include "eco-funds" and corporate social responsibility (CSR) financing offered as a response to the risks of future climate change.

Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. pursues a corporate vision of itself as a comprehensive service provider group for risk and asset management. The company has increased its corporate value over the course of a 120-year history, and made a strong commitment to global environmental issues when Yasuo Goto, at the time chairman of one of Sompo Japan's predecessors, the former Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Co., attended the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

In November 2008, Sompo Japan was endorsed under a program headed by the Minister of the Environment as an "Eco-First" company for its commitment to environmental protection. This endorsement program requires companies to make commitments, and Sompo Japan pledged the following five types -- to solving social problems through its CSR financing, to developing human resources by providing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), to implementing energy conservation activities to create a low-carbon society, to promoting green purchasing, and to collaborating with local communities.

Major Japanese Companies Make Commitments to Environment Ministry under Eco-First Program
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028505.html
Insurer Sompo Japan Introduces National Green Purchasing System for Agencies
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028793.html

Among these commitments, attention is being especially focused on how a company takes advantage of its core business activities to develop CSR financing, such as "weather index insurance," a type of insurance designed to respond to the effects of climate change. Knowledge about environmental education cultivated through collaboration between corporations and non-profit organizations is also considered important as a way to promote global environmental action throughout society.

The Development of Weather Index Insurance

In recent years, worldwide climate change has caused extreme weather events, such as huge hurricanes and extensive floods, resulting in an increased incidence of severe natural disasters. For Sompo Japan, ways to adapt to and mitigate climate change pose significant business challenges.

Particularly with respect to adaptation measures, attention will be paid to how wisely the company can respond to the already emerging effects of climate change. Developing countries are especially vulnerable to climate-related disasters due to backward infrastructure development, and thus tend to suffer more severe damage.

Therefore, in order to find ways to adapt to climate change, Sompo Japan conducted research on new "risk finance" methods, in collaboration with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and others. Based on the results of this research, the company launched a weather index insurance pilot project for farmers in northeast Thailand to pave the way for commercialization in 2010. Weather index insurance is an insurance product that enables customers to receive pre-determined payments when indices of temperature, wind velocity, rainfall, snowfall and so on reach certain levels. For example, when it does not rain enough to grow crops, this type of insurance will cover farmers' losses.

"In 2007, we launched a joint research group with JBIC on weather index insurance," says Kiyoshi Fukuwatari, Manager of Sompo's Corporate Social Responsibility Office, part of its Corporate Communications Department, explaining the product development background. "We conducted research on the situation in Asian countries and selected Thailand as the site for the pilot project because it has a certain level of economic stability and many farmers."

The pilot project was carried out in the province of Khon Kaen, and dealt with rice yields. Cooperating with Thailand's Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), the Sompo Japan project team explained the insurance scheme to local farmers, who were traditionally unfamiliar with insurance systems, and invited them to join the scheme. Since these farmers usually take out loans to cover rice farming costs from BAAC, the weather index insurance was offered only to farmers with loans.

Interview with people in Thailand
Copyright Sompo Japan Insurance Inc.

Satoshi Hirooka of the Alternative Solutions Section in Sompo's Commercial Risk Solutions Department visited the area twice, in June 2008 and August 2009, and said he received a good response from the farmers. "When we interviewed the farmers, they were grateful to have a way to avoid weather risks, and evaluated the scheme highly," he says.

As part of its preparations to commercialize of this product, the insurer now is setting up sources of reliable weather data from local meteorological weather stations while negotiating with the Thai government authorities' committee on insurance.

As an 'Eco Fund' Leader in Japan

Investment trust funds called "eco funds" have already become common in Europe and the United States and are starting to become popular in Japan. This type of product is designed to funnel investment towards companies that actively give due consideration to the environment in the course of their regular business activities.

In 1999, Sompo Japan set up Japan's second eco fund, the Sompo Japan Green Open (nicknamed "Buna no Mori" or "Beech Forest" in Japanese). In the intervening ten years, the number of companies included in the fund, most of which are local financial institutions, has grown to 120 (as of March 2009), demonstrating Sompo's contribution to the spread of Socially Responsibile Investment (SRI) in Japan.

When selecting companies, a team from Sompo Japan Risk Management (SJRM) analyzes the environmental management of candidate companies based on data analyses in CSR reports, questionnaire surveys and interviews. In recent years, the focus of overall analysis has been global warming measures, but questions on biodiversity have now been added to the analysis as well. The SJRM team provides their analysis results to target companies as feedback, facilitating the acceleration of environmental initiatives in these companies.

As of the end of March 2009, the total net assets of the Sompo Japan Green Open amounted to 12,479 million yen. The fund has been performing very well in spite of the recent advent of global financial uncertainty. For three years in a row, it was awarded either the first or second prizes in the R&I Fund Awards, presented by Rating and Investment Information, Inc., a Japanese fund rating company, receiving awards as a Japanese SRI Fund under the Investment Trusts Category and as a Japanese Equity Fund under the Defined Contribution Pension Category.

Asked how the company could contribute to making eco funds even more popular, Fukuwatari answered, "In future, I think it would be effective to create a system to incorporate eco funds into pension investment management. The Sompo Japan Green Open is already offered as an option for defined contribution pension funds. We hope that individual investors will get a better understanding of eco funds through the pension investment system."

Supporting Biodiversity Conservation via a "Home Remodeling Loan Eco-Plan"

A unique product launched in January 2009 as a means of fulfilling CSR in finance is the Home Remodeling Loan Eco-Plan. The interest rate on Eco Plan home remodeling loans is 0.3 percent lower than for other home remodeling loan plans. In addition, 0.3 percent of the eco-loan amount is donated to "satoyama" woodlands protection activities. (Satoyama woodlands define traditional Japanese rural landscapes rich in biodiversity.)

The eco-home remodeling loans are available for installing eco-friendly home improvements such as photovoltaic generation systems, gas cogeneration systems, fuel cell systems and eco-friendly electric water heaters. The preferential interest rate helps support consumers, while the donation to satoyama woodlands protection activities supports environmental protection by promoting biodiversity conservation.

Nobuhiro Ueda, Manager of the Corporate Planning Department at Sompo-Japan Credit, explained, "There was no precedent for financial products involving biodiversity conservation, so we consulted an environmental NPO, Ecology Online. In the end, a fund-raising foundation, Satoyama Donguri Bokin (lit., Rural Woodland Acorn Fund), was established to support satoyama woodland conservation activities. Through this foundation, we started giving gifts to organizations that work for satoyama woodlands conservation in Japan and also meet our evaluation standards."

Woodlands close to agricultural villages in Japan used to be managed to generate woody material for fuel and charcoal. These thickets were well maintained by cutting trees down to stumps that re-grow branches, clearing underbrush and thinning out trees. Currently, however, satoyama thickets are disappearing due to urban sprawl and lack of management. The Acorn Fund gives pizza ovens to satoyama woodland conservation organizations to be used at outdoor cooking events held to attract participants in satoyama woodland conservation activities while contributing to the revival of thickets designed to produce firewood and charcoal.

The first pizza oven was given to the Children Adventure Plaza, which carries out its activities in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture. Fukuwatari, who participated in the presentation ceremony, emphasizes the link to environmental education, saying "I was impressed by the public/private cooperation in this region to revive storks, which had become extinct in the wild in Japan. I hope that such projects are able to continue over the long term."

Sompo Japan has regarded environmental education as the most effective way to address global environmental issues. Thus, since 1992, the company has been providing open lectures on environmental issues for citizens and an internship program for students who want to work for environmental NPOs, the Sompo Japan CSO Learning Scholarship Program. Expectations are that the company will continue to promote sustainable programs, combining CSR finance activities, its main business, with a wide range of environmental education activities.

Written by Taeko Ohno

Enjoy Special Lunch with 'Green' Vegetables at Ward Office

2009-10-26T21:00:15Z

Asao Ward of Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture has begun serving eco-friendly meals, called "Asao Special Lunches," as of June 2009 at "Restaurant Asao," a dining facility for ward officials and visitors on the fourth floor of the office. These special lunches include green vegetables cultivated in the ward using a fertilizer made from raw garbage.

This is a part of an initiative by the ward residents committee to encourage food education, as well as to reduce waste and to expand opportunities for locally produced food to be consumed locally. Under the project, raw garbage from the restaurant is taken to a plant at the Tokyo University of Agriculture Recycling Research Center and is recycled as fertilizer known as Midori-kun (Green Boy). The 10 kilograms of garbage produced each day at the restaurant can be converted into about 1.5 kilograms of Midori-kun. Cooperative farmers in the ward then grow crops utilizing the Midori-kun for use in the special lunches at the restaurant. According to the ward officer, this is the first such collaboration among local government, farmers, citizens and academia.

On June 19, 2009, the first day of the project, 70 dishes were prepared and sold. The restaurant increased the number of dishes prepared to 150 for the second event on July 17, and these were also sold quickly. The lunch price is 500 yen (about U.S.$5.15), and is served on a paper tray mat describing the origins of the food, recipes and the cycle of local consumption of local products, thereby providing ecological food information.

The restaurant will offer the lunch on/about 19th day of every month, which is a day dedicated to food education.

Kawasaki City Asao Ward official website
http://www.city.kawasaki.jp/73/73soumu/
foreigner/english/

Posted: 2009/10/27 06:00:15 AM

'BYOS Clean Network' Conducts First Removal of Invasive Aquatic Plants

2009-10-25T21:00:15Z

The BYOS Clean Network, an in-house environmental conservation organization of the Panasonic Group, removed foreign aquatic plants at Niwakubo Wando along the Yodo River on June 20, 2009. As the first group-wide initiative, they participated in activities organized by the Yodogawa River Office of the Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport. BYOS is an abbreviation of Biwako (Lake Biwa), Yodogawa (Yodo River), Osaka-wan (Osaka Bay) and Setonaikai (Seto Inland Sea). The network aims to co-ordinate environmental conservation activities, originally conducted separately at each worksite, by incorporating water quality control activities group-wide.

River rangers, facilitators of communication between local governments and citizens designated by the Yodogawa River Office, called for participants to remove invasive aquatic plants from the river. About 30 participants, including employees of the Panasonic Group and students at Osaka University of Commerce, assisted in these activities.

Niwakubo Wando, a side-cavity along the Yodo River, collects freshwater fish and shellfish, including a protected fish species in Japan - the Itasenpara Bitterling. Foreign aquatic plants, however, began to cover the river surface six or seven years ago, and have had an unfavorable impact on the river ecosystem. During the removal activities, participants worked hard to collect litter, such as plastic bottles and plastic bags, in addition to removing the invasive aquatic plants.

Susumu Yamaguchi, river ranger and chairman of the executive committee for the BYOS Clean Network Council, said, "This activity facilitated internal collaboration within the company and helped further expansion through the participation of government, academia and citizens. We hope to provide more such opportunities and information for company staff and their families."

Water Quality Monitoring by Citizens along Yodo River (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026624.html
Himi City Sets Out to Protect a Threatened Fish, the Itasenpara Bitterling (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/025537.html

Posted: 2009/10/26 06:00:15 AM