Scored evidence collected on an entity's engagement with land-use and circular economy policy will now be fully weighted into the final calculations for each entity's metrics. This follows a two year process where InfluenceMap has evolved its methodology to collect evidence on corporate and industry engagement with these key areas of climate-related policy.
We have strengthened the algorithm for discounting the impact older evidence on an organization's top-line metrics. Evidence from within the last two years is weighted the strongest and then gradually weighted out of the scoring calculations as it gets older. All evidence that is 5 years or older is completely removed from the scoring calculations. Users will still be able to view older evidence items that are archived the scoring matrix below, but these will not be impacting the organization's current scores.
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) has some strategic engagement with climate and energy policy in Japan. It has engaged negatively on the carbon tax, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets, and renewable energy legislation, and has supported the continued use of high-GHG energy sources alongside nuclear and renewable energy in the Japanese energy mix.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Kankeiren appears to have mixed positions in its recent top-line messaging on climate policy. In a position paper published on its website in March 2021, Kankeiren appeared to emphasize the need to clarify the costs and feasibility of achieving a carbon-free society, but was ambiguous whether it supported a less urgent approach. In position papers published on its website in September and December 2021, Kankeiren supported tax support measures to support R&D and efforts toward carbon neutrality. Kankeiren has appeared ambiguous in its other statements on climate regulation; for instance, in a statement on Kankeiren’s website in December 2021 on the Cabinet’s approval of the 2022 budget, Kankeiren Chairman Masayoshi Matsumoto supported the allocation of R&D support toward 2050 carbon neutrality, but did not specify a position on other policy solutions.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Kankeiren has engaged negatively on the carbon tax, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets, and renewable energy legislation, while appearing to hold positive positions on energy efficiency in its recent engagements. In a position paper on the Basic Energy Plan, published on its website in March 2021, Kankeiren did not support a more ambitious carbon tax policy, calling for “careful discussion” and emphasizing concerns over an “excessive burden” for industries. In the same position paper, Kankeiren also raised concerns that raising the GHG reduction target would lead to increased electricity costs and harm Japan’s industrial competitiveness. Furthermore, the same position paper also emphasized costs involved in achieving the 2030 renewable energy target due to the feed-in tariff (FIT) system, and stated that the scenario for renewable energy “becoming the main power source should be flexibly reviewed.”
Kankeiren supported the further spread of net-zero housing (ZEH) and net-zero buildings (ZEB) in an article published on its website in May 2021. It also supported energy efficiency incentives and investment policy in its policy paper published on its website in March 2021, and in policy requests to various government ministries, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), published on its website in December 2021. In a policy paper on the Japanese government’s National Spatial Development Plan published on its website in September 2021, Kankeiren supported a modal shift in freight transportation.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Kankeiren appears to hold mixed positions on the energy mix, supporting the continued use of high-GHG energy sources alongside nuclear and renewable energy. In a position paper published on its website in March 2022, Kankeiren stated that "for the time being, thermal power generation will hold the key to the stable supply of electric power,” and supported the use of LNG, ammonia co-firing with coal, and coal with CCUS in the Japanese energy mix, alongside nuclear energy. In a meeting with the Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in August 2022, Kankeiren requested the promotion of hydrogen technology, but did not specify a position on decarbonizing hydrogen production. In position papers published on its website in September and December 2021, Kankeiren supported an increase in renewables and hydrogen, again not specifying a position on decarbonizing hydrogen. On the other hand, in a position paper in March 2021, Kankeiren suggested that a significant increase in renewables should be avoided in favor of “the current energy mix for 2030,” citing economic concerns.
Kankeiren supported the decarbonization of transportation, including ports, airports, and automobiles, in its policy paper on the National Spatial Development Plan published on its website in September 2021.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q4 2022.