Japan

SBTN’s regional initiative in Japan is led by CDP Worldwide-Japan, and has engaged more than 20 local organisations, including twelve companies, three financial institutions, two consultancies, two NGO experts, and two academics. Representatives from government agencies – including the Ministry of the Environment and the Forestry Agency of Japan – also engaged with the initiative as observers.

CDP Japan led a series of engagement activities between June 2024 and April 2025, based on an engagement strategy developed in May 2024. Activities included public webinars, dedicated target-setting workshops, and in-person events, as well as translating key SBTN materials into Japanese and responding to members’ technical questions.

SBTN resources translated into Japanese

1. Corporate Manual for setting science-based targets for nature
2. Validation Submission Form for Steps 1 and 2
3. Validation Submission Form for Step 3 – Freshwater

SBTN featured in key regional resources

• The Forestry Agency of Japan, an observer of the SBTN Japan Working Group, developed a guide for companies disclosing on forests in Japan, based on TNFD recommendations and referencing SBTN.
• The Ministry of the Environment, also an observer of the SBTN Japan Working Group, revised its guide on sustainability disclosure for Japanese companies to incorporate nature-related scenario analysis based on TNFD recommendations, with explicit reference to science-based targets for nature.

Webinar: Nature Sector Information Disclosure and Goal Setting (19 July 2024)

A public webinar covering nature-related information disclosure and target-setting. Overview (Japanese)

Materials:

• CDP questionnaire and the latest trends in nature-related initiatives (Slides – Japanese)
• Overview of Nature SBTs Guidance (Slides – Japanese)
• Information from the Ministry of the Environment (Slides – Japanese)
• Recording
• Q&A

Webinar: Nature SBTs Goal Setting (6 December 2024)

A public webinar focused on setting science-based targets for nature using the SBTN methodology. Overview (Japanese)

Materials:

• Webinar presentation slides (Japanese)
• Explanation of the revised Nature SBTs Guidance – Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. (Japanese)
• Nature SBTs Case Study – WWF France (Slides – English)
• Full recording: Original language / Japanese translation

Seminar: CDP Water x Ministry of the Environment Water Project Seminar FY2024 (17 February 2025)

Speakers from various sectors discussed best practices for water-related information disclosure in line with the TNFD framework and setting science-based targets for nature. At the session “Towards Water-Positive by Setting SBTs for Nature,” Suntory Holdings shared their experience implementing the SBTN methods, alongside collaborator Kumamoto Groundwater Institute. Over 200 attended in person and approximately 1,000 registered online. Find seminar outputs here.

Seminar: CDP and Ministry of the Environment Water Project Seminar FY2025 (9 February 2026)

Co-hosted by CDP Worldwide-Japan and the Ministry of the Environment, this hybrid seminar focused on the theme “Leveraging Water Data to Balance Business Growth and Water Conservation.” The programme featured advanced case studies on water data utilisation by companies, municipalities, and financial institutions, as well as science-based target-setting for nature through the SBTN methods. Find recordings and materials here.

Interested in joining or connecting with SBTN’s regional initiative in Japan? Contact Eri Kakuta: Eri.Kakuta@cdp.net