OUR HISTORY

1980s

In 1980, encouraged by environmental activist David Brower, Friends of the Earth Japan was founded as a member of Friends of the Earth International. We started a campaign to introduce environmentally friendly energy utilization methods in Japan.
In 1989, we started our advocacy work on development projects.

1990s

We participated in international conferences such as the Ramsar Conventions, the Earth Summit, the G7 Summit, the World Bank Assembly, and the Asian Development Bank Annual Meetings. We exchanged opinions and held meetings with the environment and finance ministers in Japan.
In 1997, we participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) for the first time.
In 1998, we launched the Export Credit Agency (ECA) campaign. We called for the disclosure of environmental standards and information on export credit using public funds.
In 1999, we participated in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Conference in Seattle and expressed our opposition to the liberalization of the wood trade. We started a housing project to rectify the consumption of imported wood and promote domestic wood.

2000s

In 2003, our policy proposal to the Ministry of the Environment, “Promoting Fairwood among Various Classes in Japan," was selected as an outstanding proposal. In the same year, we launched the Fairwood Partners campaign. We began our work with large buyers of wood to promote Fairwood procurement.
In 2004, we started a campaign calling for Starbucks Coffee to use reusable containers.
In 2005, we made policy recommendations to the government on measures against illegal logging, leading to a policy decision on the elimination of illegal wood from public procurement.
In 2007, we launched our Climate Justice campaign.
In 2009, we made policy recommendations to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and helped improve the scope of information disclosure through the revision of their environmental guidelines.

2010s

In 2011, following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, we started activities to support Fukushima and to eliminate nuclear power. In addition to making policy proposals for the elimination of nuclear power, we launched the Pokapoka Project, which supports the temporary evacuation of children in Fukushima.
In 2012, we contributed to the passage of the Nuclear Power Plant Disaster Children and Victims Support Act by engaging with decision makers.
In 2015, we launched the “Power Shift Campaign" for full liberalization of electricity retail. In the same year, we started a coastal forest regeneration project in cooperation with local residents in Yamamoto Town in Miyagi Prefecture.
In 2016, we reported the damage of the Fukushima nuclear accident to Vietnamese Diet members, and as a result Vietnam withdrew from the nuclear power plant project Japan was planning to provide support for.
In 2017, the use of wood with a high risk of illegal logging was confirmed at the Japan National Stadium built for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we requested an urgent investigation. This has led to the revision of timber procurement standards.
In 2019, we started the Mieruka Project and set up a special website to review the damage caused by the nuclear accident and to spread the opinions and reality of the victims in Japan and overseas.

2020s ~

In 2020, marking 10 years since the the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, a series of webinars were held on various topics related to the nuclear power plant accident, including exports of nuclear power plants and the current situation of workers and evacuees.