I've been working on the climate issue for almost 30 years. For most of that time, I worked with the Japanese climate organization called Kiko Network. Of course, it's been filled with ups and downs, but today I would like to share some of the moments when we succeeded. One turning point came after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. All of Japan's nuclear reactors shut down all of a sudden, and the country's energy system stood at a critical crossroads. While people were waking to nuclear risks, attention to climate change faded in return. Then, soon after, new plans to develop coal-fired power plants began to surge. The number went up to 10, 20 and 50. That was a really scary trend considering the long-term CO2 emissions' impact.

At that time, I'd been focusing on the UN climate negotiations and national climate policy. But I turned my focus to work on coal. Why coal? Even people close to me ask this question. Despite the fact that more than 150 units of coal-fired power plants are in operation in Japan, that fact was just unknown and invisible to people. Kind of like CO2. So we started to create a nationwide map to track every coal project and made it public. Also, we visited communities where projects are located and spoke with people. But on many occasions, people didn't care much about the climate and new coal projects. People cared more about their daily issues such as jobs, income or child care. So we talked not only about climate change, but also about economic and financial risks and health impacts from air pollution. Everything I tried was new to me. So I reached out to experts, lawyers, professors and NGOs, both in Japan and abroad. I didn't hesitate to ask for help. And eventually, we developed networks.

With a combination of citizens’ engagement, data tracking and strategic communication, gradually people started to act. In 2020, I took another action. We submitted a shareholder proposal to Mizuho, one of Japan's largest banks and the biggest coal financier globally at that time. We asked the company to disclose its business plan, aligned with the Paris Agreement. That means there is no room to finance new coal. In Western countries, shareholder activism on climate had already gained momentum, but in Japan it was the very first of its kind. I spent months studying best practices overseas. I still remember the conversation I had with my friend in Australia on the day before the shareholder meeting. He said, "You will probably get 17 percent support, so I'm betting." And I said, "Oh no, if we get 10 percent, that will already be a miracle." To my surprise, the proposal received 34 percent support from shareholders. (Cheers and applause) Including large institutional investors. That became quite big news across the country. As a result of those multiple works, out of 50 proposed coal projects, 17, totaling nine gigawatts, were cancelled. (Cheers and applause) This cancellation prevented 50 million tons of CO2 per year and 1.7 billion tons over their lifetimes. That's equivalent to taking more than eight million cars off the road every year for 40 years. (Cheers and applause) Of course, the success wasn't ours alone. Many people took action, too. But many cancelled projects overlapped with regions where we worked intensively. I can tell that our collaborative efforts worked. Civil society in Japan is often considered small and powerless. But even as a small group, what seems impossible is not necessarily impossible. That's what I learned.

But this is not the end of my journey. Stopping one third of new coal projects is just one step. We still heavily depend on fossil fuels in Japan. The real challenge for us now is to transform our entire economy away from fossil fuels. That means saying no isn't enough. We need to build a positive, strong yes for systemic change. But we still face various arguments such as: renewable energy is expensive, it's not reliable. Those are very live discussions still in Japan. And some people in Japan oppose renewable energy because of concerns about local environmental damage. In addition, many people prioritize other issues than climate, and people are busy too. We need to remove all of these barriers. So I took another step. I founded an independent think tank, Climate Integrate, to provide fact-based information that can accelerate energy transition. Moving beyond just saying no, I sit down and talk with people with different views -- in government and in companies -- and then try to build conviction in people to say yes for renewable energy.

We started by conducting a comprehensive analysis, uniquely applied to the Japanese context. And with that, we are more confident that it is definitely possible to shift our energy system to renewables with abundant potential of solar and wind. Having that clear vision, we show the facts and convey the facts. We also started to collaborate with cities starting from three. Toyooka city in the western area is known for its onsen hot springs and ski resort. It is already experiencing climate change, such as reduced snowfall or extreme heat. The city has now challenged itself to become a model of sustainable tourism by incorporating a nature-positive approach and decarbonization. Ichikawa city, near Tokyo, is an area of high population density with a lot of residential buildings. The city now promotes installing rooftop solar and improving energy efficiency for its housing, particularly targeting young families. Sakata city, located in the north, is an area that has old coal-fired power plants, but it is also a very good location for offshore wind. This city aims to revitalize its economy through offshore-related business and achieve a just transition away from fossil fuels and coal power.

I don't yet know if these efforts will get us to our vision, but even though I changed my approach from no to yes, what I do for renewable energy is actually very similar to what I did for my coal work. I meet people, enhance dialogue and develop networks. From my experiences, I can tell that change happens when people are engaged with facts and stories. Now, my vision is to help Japan ... promote renewable energy up to 90 percent or more, ... achieve full decarbonization and extend that impact across Asia. I know it is very challenging, but I also know that I'm not alone. I have an incredible team and network of experts, advocates and believers. We are all united by a shared conviction that this work must be done. So I am always hopeful. Even living in a country where change seems difficult. So my journey continues. I continue seeking my own ways. Likewise, you can also find your own way. And I truly believe that together, we can change the world from no to yes. So I hope you will join me on this journey forward. Thank you. (Cheers and applause)