Mitsubishi Corporation

InfluenceMap Score
for Climate Policy Engagement
D+
Performance Band
56%
Organization Score
50%
Relationship Score
Sector:
Industrials
Head​quarters:
Tokyo, Japan
Brands and Associated Companies:
MCX

Climate Policy Engagement Overview Mitsubishi Corporation appears to have mixed engagement on climate and energy policy in Japan. It communicates broadly positive top-line positions on climate change. However, at a more detailed level, it appears to have mixed positions on several policy issues. It has stated support for energy efficiency, renewable energy regulations and emissions trading, while also strongly supporting the role of unabated LNG and nuclear in energy transition. In addition, Mitsubishi Corporation retains membership to a number of industry associations that have been negative on climate policies.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Mitsubishi Corporation appears to have broadly positive top-line messaging on climate change. In September 2021, the company’s joint venture has co-signed the We Mean Business coalition letter to urge policymakers to adopt net-zero emission targets by 2050, while acknowledging the science of climate change, and stated support for the Paris Agreement and efforts towards increased greenhouse gas emissions reduction in line with the 2℃ target. In Mitsubishi Corporation’s Roadmap to a Carbon Neutral Society announced in October 2021, the Company stated support for the ‘Paris-aligned target of net zero by 2050’. However, in March 2021, during the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI) the 31st Resources and Fuels Subcommittee, a representative of Mitsubishi Corporation questioned the need for global carbon neutrality by 2050 especially for emerging economies.

Engagement with Climate-related Regulations: Mitsubishi Corporation appears to have limited engagement with climate-related regulations. In April 2021, the company requested the for the inclusion of voluntary LNG credits acquired internationally to be counted towards Japan’s domestic carbon reduction calculations, during the METI 32nd Resources and Fuels Subcommittee. In 2021, the company disclosed in its response to the CDP Climate Change questionnaire that it directly advocated to policymakers for legislation to support renewable energy and energy efficiency. However, when speaking about energy efficiency, it has focused on the development of low-carbon technologies with no mentions of specific policies or economy-wide targets.

Positioning on Energy Transition: Mitsubishi Corporation appears to have a negative position on the energy transition. In September 2021, Mitsubishi Corporation’s joint venture, Mitsubishi Corp.-UBS Realty Inc. co-signed the We Mean Business Coalition joint letter calling on the G20 to phaseout coal-fired power generation by 2030 for advanced economies, and 2040 for other countries. In its 2021 Integrated Report, the company promotes LNG as a source of energy that can balance renewables in power generation and as fuel that can support the transition from coal, without placing clear conditions on the deployment of CCS or methane abatement measures. It also appealed during the METI Electricity and Fuel procurement committee in October 2021, that LNG demand will grow as we move toward carbon neutrality. In the April 2021 METI committee stated that LNG will be the key to the energy transition in developing countries where it is necessary to balance decarbonization and economic growth. At a METI committee in March 2022, while presenting that Mitsubishi Corporation aims for “true success” in the offshore wind business, the materials also promoted ammonia blending in coal-fired power and supported the role of unabated LNG in the energy transition in Asia. The company also appeared to support the provisions for synthetic methane within the 6th Basic Energy Plan in November 2021. During the 4th Green Transformation (GX executive committee hosted by the Cabinet Secretariat in November 2022, it has shown support on expanded role for zero-emissions, green hydrogen. It is also promoting the co-firing of ammonia with coal, but there is ambiguity around the timeline for the phaseout of coal and decarbonizing ammonia production. At a METI’s 36th Resources and Fuels Subcommittee, Advisory Committee on Natural Resources and Energy held in February 2023, it continues to emphasize the importance of nuclear and LNG in the energy mix due to its cheap cost.

Industry Association Governance: Mitsubishi Corporation has not disclosed a full list of industry association membership in its corporate reporting, neither has it published a review of its alignment with industry associations on climate policy. In its 2022 CDP submission, Mitsubishi Corporation disclosed membership to only one industry association along with the associations’ climate position and the company’s role in influencing their policy position. The company also disclosed position on and engagement with two legislative issues including emissions trading scheme and mandatory climate-related reporting, but without mentioning specific legislative pieces or the outcomes sought. Mitsubishi Corporation remains a member of an industry associations engaged in negative climate policy lobbying, including Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association, Keidanren, and Queensland Resources Council.

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 Q1 2023.

QUERIES
DATA SOURCES
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02NS-111NS
11NA0NSNSNS
12NANSNSNSNS
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0NS2NSNSNSNS
-100-1101
0NSNANSNSNSNS
-1NS1NANANANA
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Strength of Relationship
STRONG
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WEAK
 
55%
 
55%
 
48%
 
48%
 
54%
 
54%
 
55%
 
55%
 
27%
 
27%
 
69%
 
69%
 
38%
 
38%
 
N/A
 
57%
 
54%
 
54%
 
N/A
 
55%
 
N/A
 
30%
 
40%
 
40%
 
50%
 
50%
 
69%
 
69%
 
46%
 
46%
 
51%
 
51%
 
21%
 
21%
 
39%
 
39%
 
61%
 
61%
 
60%
 
60%
 
65%
 
65%
 
31%
 
31%
 
38%
 
38%
 
42%
 
42%
 
52%
 
52%
 
67%
 
67%
 
N/A
 
67%
 
89%
 
89%

How to Read our Relationship Score Map

In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.