--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: The Innovators image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The Innovators Sustainability is a pressing priority for businesses worldwide, especially as 2030 approaches with clear goals to be met. While some may view their business practices as time-honored, yet rigid, Japanese companies are working tirelessly to address these modern challenges, combining innovative thinking with new technology to make steady progress in the environmental sector. **27.1%** **Japan’s reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the past decade.** _(Most recent figure, 2013-2023, Ministry of the Environment)_ **Shigeo Kinoshita, President, Naotomi Shoji** Waste management firm focused on promoting good practices in the field: “In recent times, the government has raised the standards of the overall waste management industry, and the field is moving towards a more sustainable future. We need to continue to raise the image of waste management in the public eye going forward.” **Yasuhiro Kondo, President and CEO, Azapa** Innovator in the automobile sector, with projects focusing on EV battery usage: “Clean energy underpins future social infrastructure, so I believe that is key. If we can produce and provide energy for free for use in vehicles, this can then be used by needy people in rural areas.” **Keiichiro Maki, President and CEO, Nitto Corporation** Surface polishing for glass and resin substrates: “Whenever we need to respond to new requirements and provide new technology for clients, all our employees are united with the technical team, taking the helm and responding to any kind of request with agility.” **Fumiaki Aono, President, Enoah** Producer of smart hydrogen systems: “Demand for our hydrogen generation systems is increasing, contributing to an overall reduction in costs. One of our major innovations, the ‘Hydro Power Hub,’ not only generates and stores hydrogen but can also supply it as an energy source through a fuel cell whenever needed.” **Katsumi Tanaka, Director, Iwaya** Space technology developer: “With a cabin capable of safely ascending to altitudes of at least 25 kilometers, we aim to democratize access to near space while emphasizing sustainability, safety and comfort. Unlike rocket-based solutions, Iwaya’s platform offers a low-impact, reusable and more accessible way to explore the stratosphere.” The Innovators ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-innovators/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-innovators/"},"headline":"The Innovators","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:27:59.771Z","dateModified":"2026-06-09T07:28:02.010Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-innovators/","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/the-innovators/","name":"The Innovators"}}]}] ```