Tokyo, Japan - 1 August, 2025
On Japan Water Day, the Japan Water Stewardship Forum 2025 brought together 170 participants in Tokyo from diverse sectors to advance collective water stewardship in Japan. Hosted by the Japan Water Stewardship Leadership Group and convened by the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), the Forum served as a dynamic platform for dialogue, learning and partnership-building among leaders in business, government, civil society and water experts.
The event highlighted the growing urgency to address Japan’s water challenges – from climate-related risks to supply chain sustainability – and demonstrated how cross-sector collaboration can drive meaningful change.
The Japan Water Stewardship Leadership Group, formed by AWS Members in Japan, includes MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Kurita Water Industries, Suntory Holdings, Coca-Cola (Japan) Company and Yachiyo Engineering. WWF Japan serves as an advisor to the group, and Apple is a supporter of the group’s activities through their funding membership of AWS.
Together, these organisations are working to build recognition and demand for credible water stewardship among companies operating in and from Japan.
Setting the stage for stewardship
The Forum opened with remarks from AWS, providing a global perspective on water stewardship and introducing the founding purpose of the Japan Water Stewardship Leadership Group. The remarks emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing Japan’s water-related challenges.
Government perspectives and local action
In the first keynote session, representatives from The Secretariat of the Headquarters for Water Cycle Policy, Kumamoto City, and Nasushiobara City shared insights into national water cycle policy and local government initiatives. Speakers highlighted successful case studies of public-sector engagement in water conservation.
Collective action and innovation
A dynamic panel discussion explored the possibilities and challenges of collective action in catchments, the integration of natural capital and investment, and the sharing and scaling of success stories and innovation. The panel, formed from MS&AD Insurance Group, Yachiyo Engineering and Suntory Holdings, and moderated by WWF Japan, shared practical examples of stewardship in action. They emphasised that meaningful impact requires collaboration and collective action, as no single actor can drive change alone.
Global perspectives and corporate leadership
The second keynote, delivered by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), focused on solving water issues through practical integrated water resource management and water stewardship. This was followed by a second panel discussion featuring leaders from Kurita Water Industries, Coca-Cola (Japan) Company and Waterplan, who addressed corporate water stewardship and its relevance to business, supply chain challenges, and opportunities for collaboration. The session reinforced the key message that collaborative action is essential as stewardship expands from internal operations to the entire supply chain.
Closing reflections
The Forum concluded with remarks from AWS, who shared the organisation’s ambition to scale water stewardship in Japan, and provided updates on the upcoming AWS Standard Version 3.0.
“The Japan Water Stewardship Forum marks a pivotal moment in the journey to advance credible water stewardship in Japan. Bringing together leaders from business, government and civil society creates the opportunity for deeper collaboration and stronger action on water stewardship. With a solid foundation now in place, our ambition is to support more companies operating in and from Japan in adopting credible water stewardship. This is an exciting new chapter for water stewardship in Japan and AWS is proud to support it.”
The Japan Water Stewardship Leadership Group welcomes participation from public, private and civil society sectors committed to advancing water stewardship in their organisations and beyond. Participants must first become AWS Members.
For more information visit a4ws.org/japan
