Navigating Climate Risks and Fiduciary Duties: A Directors’ Roundtable

12 May 2026 - ClientEarth, Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC), and Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI) co-hosted a directors’ roundtable in Tokyo, bringing together corporate directors, chief sustainability officers, institutional investors, legal professionals, and academics to discuss the legal and financial dimensions of climate action for boards in Japan.

Approximately twenty participants, including more than six corporate directors and eight executive officers such as Chief Sustainability Officers, engaged in an in-depth discussion on the legal obligations of directors to identify, manage, and disclose climate-related risks. The discussion was drawing on ClientEarth Guide on Climate Action for Boards in Japan which offers a practical and legally grounded framework for board-level climate action. Dr. Yamada Yoshihiro presented key takeouts from CCLI’s legal analysis “Directors’ Duties Regarding Climate Change in Japan” which was published in 2021 and updated in 2025. The guide also served as a foundation for the conversation.

Participants reflected on the growing urgency of embedding climate considerations into business decisions, against a backdrop of rapidly evolving regulatory requirements — including Japan’s SSBJ disclosure standards and the requirement to report on transition plans under the GX ETS — and increasing expectations from international investors. The discussion also explored practical steps that boards can take to adopt and execute credible transition plans.

ClientEarth remains committed to fostering dialogue and sharing knowledge at the intersection of corporate governance and climate action in Japan.

Read the report in full to find out more.

English version

Japanese version