--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: Putting the Planet First image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Putting the Planet First **Shin Maekawa** **Mayekawa MFG Co., Ltd.** “High-efficiency systems that reduce CO2 output are currently in demand, and are a focus of our developments. Certainly, the SDGs and the wider push towards sustainability are good things for our business, increasing the size of new markets we can enter. From our side, we are looking at replacing freon with natural refrigerants.” **Yasuo Tanaka** **Toyo Kensetsu Kohki Co., Ltd.** “Our principle is to contribute to society with high-quality rebar, so that anyone can use infrastructure that is safe. When machines reach the end of their useful life, we collect and recycle them while introducing new products and gaining feedback from our clients. This cycle has been our overall business model for the last 65 years.” **Shinichi Suzuki** **XSOL Co., Ltd.** “Japan is an energy-vulnerable nation, so ensuring a stable power supply is critical. We see it as our social responsibility to engage in this work, and we are committed to communicating the true value of solar power. Our estimates suggest that it may be possible to meet the nation’s annual energy demand using existing rooftop space alone.” JAPAN’S GREEN ECONOMY BY 2030 **47 Trillion Yen** Japan's Ministry of Environment estimates that the transition to a 'nature-positive' economy will create 47 trillion yen ($323 billion) in new business opportunities annually by 2030. **46%** Japan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2030 (compared to 2013 levels), with efforts already contributing to a 20% reduction. **Hitoshi Honna** **erex Co., Ltd.** “There is a need to develop stable power sources on a national scale, and that is where I believe biomass will come into play more, replacing coal-fired power plants. One interesting system has been carbon credits, where Japanese companies can reduce emissions in other countries, then trade credits for a net profit and subsequent re-investment.” **Yasuyuki Kodama** **Hoei Metal Co., Ltd.** “In the past, carbon neutrality and sustainability were often seen as optional CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) efforts. But today, they are essential for a company’s survival. Our goal is to play a meaningful role in decarbonizing the entire supply chain by redefining the manufacturing process through our molten aluminum business.” **Gen Terao** **Balmuda Inc.** “The first appliance that we created, a fan, was closely tied to aerodynamics. This then inspired us to take on the challenges of wind power and green energy. With our current market position, capabilities and experience, we believe it is our responsibility to contribute to society by developing innovative technologies in this area.” **Taiichiro Yamada** **Maruyasu Industries Co., Ltd.** “In Japan, we have experienced numerous crises over the past few decades, from financial shocks to major earthquakes. Time and again, we have overcome these hurdles by drawing on our collective wisdom. These challenges also create opportunities for everyone, not just those in leadership roles, to step up, take ownership and make a difference.” Putting the Planet First ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/putting-the-planet-first/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/putting-the-planet-first/"},"headline":"Putting the Planet First","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:27:58.526Z","dateModified":"2026-06-09T07:27:59.853Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/putting-the-planet-first/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/putting-the-planet-first/","name":"Putting the Planet First"}}]}] ```