Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) exhibits policy engagement that is active and oppositional to science-aligned climate policy, particularly in its position around carbon pricing and the role of nuclear energy in the future energy mix.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Kankeiren has limited and broadly negative top-line messaging on climate policy. Comments by Chairman Matsumoto in December 2023 supported the increase of government-led investment and financial subsidies to promote GX and ensure stable energy supply, but did not state a clear position on the level of ambition compared to the IPCC or the need for other regulatory or government intervention. In its August 2024 Opinion Paper on the 7th Strategic Energy Plan, Kankeiren supported carbon pricing but qualified this by stating that the price should not affect the competitiveness of emissions-intensive, trade-exposed (EITE) industries and that Japan's existing implicit carbon taxes should be taken into account.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Kankeiren’s recent evidence of engagement with climate related regulations is limited and negative. In its August 2024 Opinion Paper on the 7th Strategic Energy Plan, Kankeiren appeared to support the carbon levy but qualified this by stating the price should not affect international competitiveness. Chairman Matsumoto, in his Comments on the 7th Strategic Energy Plan, was ambiguous about the desired target level of renewable energy in 2040.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Kankeiren holds negative engagement in regards to the energy transition, particularly in their positions on the extent of the future role of nuclear energy. Chairman Matusmoto’s February 2025 comments on the 7th Strategic Energy plan, supported increases in nuclear and renewables, however, with ambiguity regarding the pace and extent of the transition and its alignment with IPCC recommendations and 2040 energy mix targets. In an August 2024 Opinion Paper, supported a continued role for LNG and coal in the energy mix, while referencing the deployment of CCS.
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 Q3 (August) 2025.