Climate Lobbying Overview: Hitachi’s top line positions appear to be broadly positive, but the company appears to have had limited engagement with specific climate-related regulation since 2017. Hitachi’s positions on the energy transition are mixed - whilst showing strong support for renewables in multiple markets, there is also evidence of continued support for coal. Hitachi retains memberships to industry associations which have lobbied against climate policy such as Keidanren, Business Europe, and National Association of Manufacturers.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Hitachi announced on its website that it became the Principal Partner for COP26 in May 2021, supporting business alignment with the Paris Agreement - to limit global temperature rise to 1.5℃ above preindustrial levels. In February 2019 report by Hitachi Consulting, the company stressed the adverse risks of global warming above 2 degrees. However, in the same article, Hitachi suggested that industry, rather than governments, should lead action on climate change. At a Japanese Cabinet Office meeting in November 2020, Hitachi’s former CEO Hiroaki Nakanishi called for broad but urgent government regulation to achieve decarbonization in various sectors. In December 2020, Nakanishi also signaled an openness to discuss carbon pricing, in a shift from his previous opposition to carbon pricing.

Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Hitachi appears to have limited engagement with specific climate-related regulation in recent years. On its website in June 2021, the company welcomed pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions announced by the United States, the UK, and other governments more broadly. In 2017, the company made statements that suggest support for EU energy efficiency standards and regulations, viewing them as opportunities for business expansion. In 2016, Hitachi also actively supported EU renewable energy targets, pushing countries like the UK and Netherlands to further “make strides in investment or risk failure”. In its 2020 CDP response, Hitachi gave limited disclosure on engagement with policymakers which focused on financial and policy assistance for infrastructure exports. Hitachi also disclosed Chairman Nakanishi’s participation in the Future Investment Council (Cabinet Secretariat of Japan), but did not detail the company’s position on climate-related issues.

Positioning on Energy Transition: Hitachi has made statements that suggest support for a low-carbon energy transition, particularly for renewable energy, in the 2020 Hitachi Integrated Report. Hitachi appears to perceive positively government policies, like the Revision of Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures and Basic Energy Plan in Japan, broadly suggesting that they are opportunities for energy sector business in its investor presentation in June 2021. Previously Hitachi advocated for a greater role for wind power. At the Japan Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) subcommittee on electricity resilience for decarbonization in 2019, Hitachi appeared to support measures to increase renewables in the energy mix. During high-level meetings with the Japanese government in 2020, Hitachi CEO Hiroaki Nakanishi frequently supported upgrades to electricity infrastructure and restarting the nuclear power plants. The Hitachi CEO however strongly opposed proposals to phase out coal power and to end government assistance to international coal projects in the original draft of Japan’s Long-Term Strategy under the Paris Agreement, as reported in April 2019.

Industry Association Governance: Hitachi Global disclosed a list of its industry associations memberships in its Sustainability Report, while the Hitachi U.S.A. website discloses some memberships on a dedicated webpage. Hitachi retains memberships and leadership roles in industry associations negatively engaged on climate policy lobbying.

Between the start of 2018 until the spring of 2021, Hitachi’s former CEO Hiroaki Nakanishi had been the Chairman of Japanese trade association Keidanren, having previously sat as vice-chair. After Mr. Nakanishi stepped down from Keidanren’s chairmanship, Hitachi’s President & CEO Toshiaki Higashihara became the current vice-chair of Keidanren. Keidanren appears to strongly advocate for the sustained role of coal in Japan's energy mix, opposing long-term GHG emission targets and emissions trading schemes.

Hitachi is also a partner company in BusinessEurope, which has vocally advocated against renewable energy and energy efficiency targets in the EU. In the US, Hitachi is a member of the National Association of Manufacturers which has engaged negatively with various forms of US climate-related policy and regulation while strongly supporting the ongoing role of fossil fuels in the US economy. A subsidiary of Hitachi is a member of the National Mining Association, which has actively opposed various strands of climate legislation whilst strongly promoting coal in the energy mix.