Amid concerns about climate change, the Japan Business Federation, also known as Keidanren, announced on June 8, 2020 that it had launched the Challenge Zero Project in order to accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon society. Keidanren is an economic organization that represents a membership comprised of 1,444 domestic companies, 109 nationwide industrial associations, and 47 of Japan’s regional economic organizations (as of April 1, 2020).

The Challenge Zero Project has been endorsed by over 130 participating companies and groups, ranging from energy companies and utilities to manufacturers, financial institutions, and retailers. Among them, some Japanese utilities and energy producers are part of the project: Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO, Headquarters: Tokyo), Chubu Electric Power (Chuden, Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture), Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO, Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture), Chugoku Electric Power (‎EnerGia, Headquarters: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture), Okinawa Electric Power (OEPC, Headquarters: Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture), and Electric Power Development Company (J-POWER, Headquarters: Tokyo).[1]

Under the Challenge Zero Project, the member companies and groups have set their own goals to tackle a total of 305 innovation challenges. Challenges are different for each member, such as developing CO2 utilization technology, improving the efficiency of reusing Electric Vehicles’ (EV) batteries, etc.[2] Keidaren and participating entities aim to contribute to CO2 emission reductions by addressing these challenges.[3] [4]

[1] https://www.challenge-zero.jp/jp/member/

[2] https://www.challenge-zero.jp/jp/casestudy/

[3] https://www.keidanren.or.jp/policy/2020/052.html

[4] https://www.challenge-zero.jp/jp/about/