To everyone who has made “eco japan cup 2008” possible, I applaud your efforts and cooperation.

This is the year of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. It also marks the beginning of the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period. Awareness of global warming has heightened dramatically in recent years in Japan and overseas. A worldwide rush to adopt mitigation measures clearly shows that we have made great progress in addressing global warming. On the other hand, a new and different landscape has emerged—one that is characterized by skyrocketing oil prices and a disruption of the food supply resulting from the development of bio-fuels as an alternative energy source.

The time has come to test Japan’s strength, which combines cutting-edge environmental technologies and the mottainai spirit that refuses to be wasteful. I sincerely hope that the 3rd “eco japan cup” will become the venue for businesses, local communities, local governments and citizens to present their “environmental techniques and spirit” that have been nurtured through their unrelenting efforts. I also hope that the participants stimulate each other with their ideas so that they can grow into the world’s front runners in meeting environmental challenges.

KAMOSHITA Ichiro　
Former Minister of the Environment

Presenting “eco japan cup 2008”

The first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol starts this year, and we must live up to our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6%. As Prime Minister Fukuda puts it in relation to the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, we should be conscious of how future generations will see us when they look back in 200 years and we should let that consciousness lead us to take actions to transform Japan into a low carbon society. At the G8 Environment Ministers’ Meeting held in May this year, I expressed my strong commitment to reaching an agreement at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit for a goal of at least halving the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. I reiterated in my chairperson’s summary statement that it is crucial for us to make the transition to a low carbon society.

To facilitate the transition to a low carbon society, we need to stimulate demand for eco-friendly goods and services, increase the supply of environmental technologies and eco-friendly products, and efficiently link demand and supply by establishing a social mechanism. Such integration will give rise to new businesses that contribute to environmental conservation, which in turn will promote new environmental protection efforts, thus creating a beneficial relationship between the environment and the economy.

Besides giving recognition to contestants who take on the challenge of applying innovative ideas to eco businesses in the Business, Culture, and Lifestyle categories, the “eco japan cup 2008” will also work at disseminating these ideas. It is an experiment to expand eco businesses by unearthing a wide range of business seeds and dispatching messages to the world about these seeds. I have great expectations for this event and look forward to seeing many people participating in it.

MASUDA Hiroya
Former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications

Arresting global warming is a daunting challenge to the world. It is also an agenda item in this year’s G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. For humankind to confront this issue, each one of us should have an increased awareness of environmental issues. Communities and citizens initiatives that are directly connected to their daily lives can play a key role and should be promoted. The government and business sectors’ efforts are indispensable as well. Local communities, businesses, and the government should join forces more closely to combat global warming.

The Lifestyle Category of “eco japan cup 2008” invites citizens and communities who contribute to activating local communities and creating a sustainable society through their original and creative ideas. By recognizing these and many other eco-friendly activities, “eco japan cup 2008” will provide an excellent opportunity for many people to understand that environmental issues are closely related to them.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will actively support local environmental initiatives as part of our efforts to tackle the urgent task of mitigating global warming.

OKU Masayuki 　
President of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Thanks to the start of the Kyoto Protocol’s commitment period this year and the holding of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, interest in environmental issues and social demand for action have increased rapidly.

Last year, “eco japan cup” received 140 entries for the Business Category alone and almost 400 entries when including other categories. There were many excellent ideas and plans. From the Business Category, concrete activities involving collaboration among industry, government, and academia have been launched. From the Music Category, the award-winning works have been made into CDs. I was impressed by the tremendous potential of eco businesses.

The “eco japan cup” event enters its third year this year. I look forward to receiving many more wonderful ideas and plans. The keywords are “Achieving Sustainability” and “Realizing a Low Carbon Society.”

It is extremely important that financial institutions support environmental activities as business undertakings. The Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation will continue its efforts to discover and nurture environmental business seeds. I hope “eco japan cup” will live up to its name as a gateway to success for environmental ventures.

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