TOKYO: The Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, on Monday called for the acceleration of digitalization and the realization of “green growth,” or curbing climate change and achieving economic growth simultaneously through technological innovation, in order to ensure sustainable economic activities.

They are among pillars in the biggest Japanese business lobby’s new growth strategy, which it hopes will be reflected in the Japanese government’s growth strategy. Keidanren aims to achieve the measures in its package by 2030.

The novel coronavirus pandemic “has raised a fundamental question about the sustainability of Earth,” Keidanren Chairman Hiroaki Nakanishi told a press conference. Companies will be unable to continue existing unless they place emphasis on measures to tackle climate change and other social issues, he added.

Keidanren’s strategy calls for realizing new growth by speeding up digitalization in all areas, including administrative procedures, medical services and education.

The group also set a target of increasing the proportion of female corporate executives to at least 30 pct as part of efforts to promote diversity in human resources.

On Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s policy of reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions effectively to zero by 2050, Keidanren called on the government to spend massive amounts of state funds in the long term on the development and dissemination of innovative technologies as a national project.

Keidanren also underlined the need for providing intensive support for renewable energy projects and starting the construction of new-type nuclear power reactors.

JIJI Press