Conservation of Biodiversity
Basic Concept
The JAL Group (JAL) recognizes that the preservation and restoration is a particularly important issue for building a sustainable society, as they strengthen social infrastructure, and commits to comprehensive solutions that address biodiversity conservation and climate change.
To date, JAL has actively engaged in biodiversity conservation initiatives, such as preventing illegal wildlife trade to protect species, preserving ecosystems through plant quarantine efforts, and safeguarding natural resources at World Natural Heritage sites. In addressing climate change, efforts such as upgrading to fuel-efficient aircraft, consistent implementation of JAL Green Operations, and the expansion of the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 is ongoing, all while carefully considering the impacts of these CO2 reduction efforts on the ecosystem. (Disclosure of information on climate change based on the TCFD)
Through our business activities, JAL aims to create a society where nature and people coexist in harmony. Founded on the principle of reducing our impact on nature, JAL seeks to create the flow of people through the preservation and experience of nature, while fostering commercial and logistics flows through ingredients and commercial products formed by thriving ecosystems. By leveraging mobility to build relationships and connections, and pursuing the realization of "Nature Positive", JAL aspires to establish a future where everyone can feel affluence and hope, thereby enhancing our corporate value. To achieve these goals, JAL will move forward under our "Commitment to Nature".
Commitment to Nature
The JAL Group will contribute to the conservation and restoration of nature, including biodiversity, in order to fulfill our responsibility to pass on our precious Earth to the next generation.
Our daily lives and economic activities are dependent on the benefits of nature (ecosystem services). The benefits of nature are supported by a stock of natural capital, and business models that consider the sustainability of natural capital support the sustainability of the society as a whole, including the business itself.
Recognizing the importance of such nature, the JAL Group commits to achieve no net loss of biodiversity by 2030 by identifying priority areas of biodiversity conservation and working to conserve them while monitoring progress toward the set targets. JAL also commits to achieve no gross deforestation by 2050 and create a net positive impact on biodiversity for a society that coexists in harmony with nature (Nature Positive).
In order to do this, together with our suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders, we hereby promise the following;
01. Be aware of the impact of our entire value chain on nature, our dependence on nature, and the risks and opportunities of our business.
02. We will respond to the negative impacts of our business on nature through avoidance, reduction, recovery, and offsetting (in the order of high priority).
03. We will work together with our stakeholders for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
*Reported and approved by the Board of Directors in August 2023
*This commitment applies to the JAL Group, suppliers and partners.
The Path to TNFD disclosure
The JAL Group has aligned its efforts with the disclosure framework of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), mapping the relationship between its business activities and nature (dependencies and impacts), as well as associated risks and opportunities. Information is disclosed in accordance with TNFD’s recommended 4 pillars: Governance, Strategy, Risk and Impact Management, and Metrics and Targets.
On March 2023, JAL joined the “TNFD Forum”, and on August 2023, conducted preliminary disclosures based on the TNFD Beta Framework. Furthermore, in December 2023, JAL applied for the Business for GBF ProjectOpen link in a new window (Targets 2 and 3, Japanese only) and issued a Nature Positive DeclarationOpen link in a new window (Japanese only) and also registered as a "TNFD Early Adopter", as the first airline in the world. Since then, JAL has conducted various analyses while expanding initiatives and disclosed according to the TNFD's final recommendations.
To deepen understanding and effectively incorporate expert insights into our policy formulation and initiatives, the JAL Group has been holding dialogues with external experts, as detailed below:
- 2023: Held a workshop with experts from WWF Japan to assess the JAL Group’s dependencies and impacts on nature.
- 2023: Invited Ms. HAMASHIMA Naoko, then Director of the Biodiversity Mainstreaming Office, Ministry of the Environment, to engage in dialogue with executives on the relationship between biodiversity and the airline industry.
- 2024: Invited Mr. HARAGUCHI Makoto of MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc., a TNFD Task Force member, to hold discussions with the president and executives.
The dialogue covered the latest TNFD trends, positioning of JAL’s initiatives, considerations for biodiversity across the airline‘s entire value chain, and approaches to engaging stakeholders.
Some key insights were that to transform risks into opportunities, it is important to; achieve nature-positive outcomes across the entire region, foster ambitious visions through discussions with experts, and collaborate with local communities and stakeholders.
Moving forward, the JAL Group will continue to value dialogue with a diverse range of stakeholders, including local communities, municipalities, and corporates. At the same time, JAL is committed to promoting initiatives such as the cultivation of the sexual reproduction of coral in Okinawa, conservation of red-crowned cranes in Hokkaido, mangrove planting in Kagoshima, protection of World Natural Heritage sites in Okinawa and Kagoshima, and other regional development efforts that leverage the richness of nature.
The contents of this disclosure under the TNFD were reported to and approved by the Board of Directors in July 2025.
For additional information on the organizations and initiatives mentioned, please refer to the Participation in External Initiatives section and the Biodiversity Initiatives section.
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Mr. HARAGUCHI Makoto,
MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc. (center) -
Dialogue in December 2024
Governance
The JAL Group's Board of Directors demonstrates a robust supervisory function through periodic reporting (3 times in FY2024) on the execution of initiatives concerning climate change and biodiversity.
For execution, the Sustainability Promotion Council, chaired by the President, formulates fundamental policies, sets key targets, manages progress, and deliberates and decides on policies to address identified issues.
The Sustainability Promotion Committee, chaired by the director in charge of ESG promotion, deliberates on individual issues identified through the Environmental Management System (EMS) as well as those identified during the Relationship and Connection Creation Committee, which are subsequently reported to the Sustainability Promotion Council
In addition, under the JAL Group Human Rights Policy established in 2019, a human rights due diligence process is conducted annually to identify and address human rights issues. Issues are identified through processes including human rights risk surveys and dialogue with external experts and JAL has been working to resolve them.
In FY2024, respect for human rights related to nature, including biodiversity, was identified as a key issue. As part of this effort, interviews were conducted with internal stakeholders involved in our business activities on the Amami Islands, one of the areas identified for biodiversity conservation.
Moving forward, JAL commits to upholding the FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent) principles by means of dialogue with local communities, incorporating their voices into initiatives, and continue our efforts to conserve biodiversity and respect human rights simultaneously.
Among human rights issues, information on the prevention of forced labor, human trafficking, and other forms of modern slavery are disclosed in compliance with the relevant laws of relevant countries, following approval from the Board of Directors.
As part of procurement related initiatives, the JAL Group promotes respect for human rights and appropriate labor practices throughout its supply chain. This includes conducting risk assessments and monitoring to ensure the procurement of commercial materials aligned with respect for human rights principles.
Strategy
The JAL Group adopts the LEAP approach* proposed by the TNFD to systematically assess science based nature-related risks and opportunities. In alignment with the concept of double materiality, JAL identified priority areas by analyzing both our business’s dependence on and impact on nature, leading to our risks and opportunities. In particular, for the aviation business, which accounts for the majority of the JAL Group’s revenue, we identify interfaces with nature throughout the value chain.
* LEAP approach: "LEAP" stands for Locate, Evaluate, Assess, and Prepare. It is an disclosure guidance that consists of "Locate“, which identifies the nature interface across the supply chain and identifies priority locations; "Evaluate“, which diagnoses the dependencies and impacts between the business activities and nature; "Assess“, which evaluates the key risks and opportunities based on the results of the diagnosis; and "Prepare“, which develops responses to nature-related risks and opportunities and reports back to investors.
LEAP approach image
Examples of Interfaces with Nature and Risks and Opportunities along the value chain of the airline business
Nature-related Dependencies & Impacts
Nature, consisting of freshwater, ocean, land and the atmosphere, provides various benefits (ecosystem services) to the JAL Group’s business. For example, a stable climate ensures a suitable operating environment for aircraft (regulating services), and provides locations and opportunities for tourism (cultural services), leading to the creation of flows of people. Additionally, blessings such as food (supply services) contribute to commercial and logistics flows.
In March 2023, an internal workshop was held with a lecturer from the World Wildlife Fund Japan (WWF Japan) to explore the interfaces with nature as part of the analysis of dependencies and impacts on nature. Furthermore, ENCORE was utilized to analyze the airline industry’s dependencies and impacts on nature, covering over 80% of the scale of the JAL Group’s revenues. The analysis identified that the dependencies include flights to natural heritage sites, beach resorts, and other nature-rich destinations, sales of local food products, flood and storm protection, and water use. Impact identified include potential environmental pollution around airports, GHG emissions, and concerns regarding the impact of the SAF production process on ecosystems. For SAFs and credits, which are essential for CO2 reduction, the JAL group will work to minimize biodiversity risks throughout the value chain by sourcing those that comply with rigorous sustainability standards established by certification systems of public institutions.
* ENCORE: A TNFD-recommended tool used to assess the opportunities and risks that businesses pose to their natural capital.
Identifying Priority Areas
The JAL Group recognizes water as an important resource that affects climate change and biodiversity, and is committed to its sustainable management.
JAL’s water intake areas are mainly in Japan, where water stress levels are considered low based on analysis using Aqueduct* and hence our water-related risks are low. However, the Tokyo metropolitan area (Haneda and Narita) , which accounts for 80% of our total water intake, has been identified as a priority area. JAL is actively working to conserve water resources through measures such as recycling water used for washing aircraft parts. While overseas regions have not been designated as priority areas due to their relatively low water usage, JAL will conduct ongoing analyses and plans to expand our water conservation efforts globally in the future.
* Aqueduct: A tool provided by the World Resources Institute (WRI) to map water risks such as floods, droughts, and stress.
Aqueduct analysis image
In addition to water, the JAL Group identifies priority areas by focusing on biodiversity itself, including ecosystems such as forests and oceans, as well as the diverse species that inhabit them.
Priority Areas in Domestic Destinations
Based on the biodiversity risk filter provided by WWF, the JAL Group found that many of its domestic destinations are in areas of high biodiversity risk. These particularly high-risk areas have been designated as Sensitive Locations. Additionally, regions with strong demand for nature tourism have been identified as areas on which the business depends, while Tokyo, where JAL’s major airport is located, has been classified as a Material Location, representing an area where the business impacts nature. By considering these multiple factors as a whole, Hokkaido, Kagoshima, Okinawa, and Tokyo were identified as priority areas for biodiversity conservation, and initiatives such as the conservation of red-crowned cranes in Hokkaido, mangrove planting in Kagoshima, and the sexual reproduction of corals in Okinawa are being implemented.
Details on each specific initiatives can be found in the “Metrics and Targets" and “Biodiversity Initiatives" sections.
Image of the identification of the Sensitive Location by combining various tools (Top: IBAT Bottom: GFW)
Priority Areas in Overseas Destinations
By integrating the 4 tools recommended by TNFD -Aqueduct x IBAT* x GFW* x ENCORE- along with Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) hotspot data, JAL has identified areas with significant biodiversity and water risks as Sensitive Locations. Material locations related to JAL’s destinations were also identified through this analysis. Based on these findings, Hawai‘i and Australia have been designated as our priority areas for biodiversity conservation, due to their high tourism demand and business potential that is both dependent on and impactful to nature. JAL is actively advancing initiatives in these regions.
For example, in June 2024, JAL launched the JAL Mahalo FareOpen link in a new window, to support the conservation of Hawai‘i’s environment and culture. In March 2025, restoration activities were conducted at Diamond Head, as well as the planting of Hawaiian-native tree species in Honolulu. Both of which were done together with JAL’s valued customers. Additionally, to protect Australia’s ecosystems, prevention measures are being taken to prevent the invasion of pests to the country.
* IBAT: A biodiversity assessment tool developed by 4 organizations; BirdLife International, the World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC) of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Conservation International.
GFW: A biodiversity assessment tool provided by the World Resources Institute (WRI).
Risks and Opportunities of JAL’s Business
Loss of biodiversity poses a significant risk to the sustainability of the air transportation business, but managing it can also lead to opportunities. In the workshop held with experts from WWF Japan in 2023, analysis was also done on nature-related risks and opportunities based on identified dependencies and impacts. Since then, JAL has been reviewing these results annually, shown in the table below. Moving forward, JAL will deepen the assessment by analyzing the associated financial impacts as well.
Risk and Impact Management
The JAL Group defines risk as any event or action that may hinder the achievement of the organization's mission, objectives, or goals and hence JAL conducts risk surveys and assessments twice every year. Risks identified as particularly significant are classified as priority risks, and their management status is reviewed at the Group Risk Management Council chaired by the President, where countermeasures are discussed and decided.
Regarding environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity, key priories within our management strategy, JAL manages these risks through the PDCA cycle based on the EMS, while considering relevant laws, regulations, and international policy trends.
Metrics & Targets
The JAL Group recognizes that biodiversity is influenced by various environmental issues, including climate change, and is committed to implementing comprehensive solutions.
In addition to setting targets directly related to biodiversity conservation, JAL discloses environmental data such as CO2 emissions, waste, and water consumption. Furthermore, JAL has been disclosing ESG data in accordance with the Core Global Disclosure Metrics*1 required by the TNFD and will keep expanding this in the future.
*1 Core Global Disclosure Metrics: Metrics defined by the TNFD as reflecting dependence on and impact to nature.
*2 JAL comprehensively addresses various issues including climate change and biodiversity, as climate change caused by CO2 emissions also affects biodiversity. CO2 reduction efforts disclosed in the TCFD of JAL.
*3 Plastic is a compound derived from petroleum-based resources and contributes to climate change. Additionally, when it flows into the ocean, it can cause severe damage to ecosystems. JAL is working to reduce the use of new petroleum-based single-use plastics.
*4 Items that do not use or that reduce the use of new petroleum-based raw materials, such as biomass, recycled plastic, and certified paper.
*5 The food system-including production, transportation, processing, distribution, and disposal of food products-emits CO2 and contributes to biodiversity loss. Hence JAL works to reduce the amount of inflight meal disposed.
*6 In addition to managing waste properly in accordance with laws and regulations, JAL regularly monitors the sorting rates and recycling rates to ensure the effective circulation of resources.
*7 To reduce the negative impact of deforestation on climate change and biodiversity, JAL commits to responsible procurement in consideration of sustainability.
*8 Project based on an industry-academia-government collaboration agreement with Uken Village, Sophia University, and ITOCHU Corporation.
Biodiversity Initiatives
In June 2020, the JAL Group declared its goal of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Reducing CO2 emissions not only mitigates climate change, but also preserves ecosystems and reduces biodiversity loss. In addition to the goal of achieving net zero CO2 emissions, the JAL Group has identified key Initiatives and issues to work on towards sustainability and has also set targets for reducing food waste and resource (plastic and paper) usage. Reducing the use of paper resources and recycling will reduce deforestation. In addition, the use of internationally certified paper that takes forest resources into consideration preserves forests and protects the ecosystems that inhabit them. Forests absorb CO2, which contributes to climate change. Because of this close relationship between biodiversity and climate change, we are addressing both as important issues.
For example, we are engaged in various activities such as plant quarantine to prevent invasive alien species, prevention of illegal wildlife trade, and preservation of the World Natural Heritage.
Furthermore, JAL became a corporate member of WWF Japan in January 2020, supporting WWF's environmental conservation activities and promoting biodiversity conservation activities through its business activities.
Stop Illegal Wildlife Trade
In June 2018, the JAL Group signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration by the United Wildlife Transport Taskforce to reduce illegal wildlife trade promoted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Illegal wildlife trade is a global crime on a scale comparable to drugs and human trafficking, with a trade value of several trillion yen. JAL Group has since then been contributing to protecting endangered or rare species. For example, staff at Ishigaki Airport found and prevented coconut crabs, an endangered species, from being taken off the island. Also, staff at Amami Airport noticed that rare frogs and snakes were about to be transported off the island and dealt with the issue.
To fulfill the duty as an air transport operator, the JAL Group continues to organize educational sessions for employees and will strengthen activities by cooperating with related parties to share information and eradicate illegal wildlife trade.
For example, in February 2020 and March 2021, a speaker from WWF Japan (World Wide Fund for Nature Japan) was invited to hold a workshop to deepen understanding and extend education on preventing illegal wildlife trade. During the workshop participants studied the current situation of illegal wildlife trade and what to do when live animals are discovered.
Furthermore, in December 2021, the JAL Group joined a symposium organized by WWF Japan and TRAFFIC on raising awareness and promoting efforts to prevent illegal wildlife trade. JAL Group staff spoke at this symposium and introduced the JAL Group's proactive efforts in cooperation with ministries and local communities, including participation in the "Liaison Conference on Countermeasures against Poaching and Smuggling of Rare Wild Fauna and Flora" in the Okinawa and Amami Islands regions, and training sessions on countermeasures against poaching and smuggling at airports.
In 2024, JAL spoke at a seminar hosted by WWF Japan and explained frontline measures to prevent rare species from being taken out of Amami Airport, including participation in training on related laws and regulations and the establishment of a communication network with airport-related organizations when a rare (or suspected rare) species is discovered. The difficulty of responding to the situation within a short timeframe just before passengers board their flights was raised, as well as concerns about the future of the island’s nature from the perspective of creating a sustainable tourism area due to the large number of wildlife, not just rare species, being taken out of the island.
Since it is important that these issues are addressed by the entire community, JAL is deepening cooperation with companies and organizations that share the same ambitions, and continues to engage with local governments and relevant authorities.
As part of these efforts, in June 2025, the Natural World Heritage Promotion Joint Consortium led by one of our employees, jointly issued a statement on the removal of flora and fauna from Amami and Tokunoshima together with local government agencies, the prefectural government, and the Ministry of the Environment, calling for broad understanding and cooperation. To protect the islands’ biodiversity, we will continue to collaborate with relevant parties and strengthen biosecurity control measures.
Official Sponsor of International Year of Plant Health 2020
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) to raise global awareness on the importance on how to protect plants from the spread of pests and diseases. JAL Group is spreading the word in and outside the company about the importance of plant protection as the Official Sponsor of International Year of Plant Health 2020 certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
Eighty percent of the world food supply originates from plants with a food loss of 20 percent to 40 percent from plant pests. Enormous costs incur to eradicate the pests. For example, 20.4 billion yen was used over roughly 20 years to exterminate melon flies, which inflicted considerable damage to crops.
There is growing concern on the importance of plant protection with the increase of in-bound tourists. No only is it a must to take care when taking plants in and out of Japan but there are also regulations in transporting plants within Japan. For example, it is prohibited to take sweet potatoes and other plants from the Nansei Islands, namely the Amami archipelago in Okinawa and Kagoshima Prefectures, and Ogasawara Islands.
In February 2020, JAL invited a speaker from MAFF to an in-house talk event to address the damages by plant pests, plant protection, and its relationships with the aviation industry. Feedback from one of the participants was about her understanding of how important it was not only to protect humans, meat but also plants and how she would like to spread the word within the company going forward. It is critically important to stop the invasion and outbreak of pests because enormous costs incur to eradicate the bugs. Going forward, JAL Group will cooperate with related parties to communicate the importance of plant protection.
For more details on plant protection, please refer to the MAFFOpen link in a new window website (Jananese only).
Conserving Red-Crowned Cranes
The logo on the horizontal stabilizer of JAL Group aircraft is based on the red-crowned crane, a protected species of Japan. The red-crowned crane symbolizes the beauty of Japan but at the same time, it is an endangered species designated as a rare wild animal in the country.
Every year since 2016, JAL employees have volunteered to maintain the red-crowned crane's feeding grounds in Tsurui village, Hokkaido.
Also in Naganuma town, Hokkaido, to achieve the community‘s goal of “creating a town where red-crowned cranes can live” JAL has been supporting various activities such as cooperating in bus tours related to red-crowned cranes, selling local products on the JAL online store (JAL Mall), and creating snow art of red-crowned cranes.
As part of these efforts, JAL collaborates with AEON Hokkaido, which has also been engaged in red-crowned crane conservation in Naganuma town, to implement the "Eco Harmony Program*", an initiative designed to foster harmony between human society and the natural environment by learning and thinking of biodiversity conservation with local communities.
In FY2025, JAL will offer a program for children in the Chitose River Basin, where these activities take place, to learn about the formation of ecosystem networks centered around coexistence with the red-crowned crane.
Additionally, as member of the Ishikari River Basin Ecological Network Promotion Council established in February 2024, JAL works alongside local governments and other participating corporates to conserve the basin’s biodiversity, including the red-crowned crane. Also, consideration and promotion of measures aimed at the regional development and economic revitalization through the sustainable use of rich natural capital.
* The name "Eco Harmony Program" reflects the aim of conserving the “ecosystem” while promoting “harmony” between the environment and human society.
JAL Photography Contest of Red-Crowned Cranes
A JAL photography contest of red-crowned cranes, a special natural treasure of Japan and a symbol of "Japanese Beauty" , is held for everyone to express their thoughts towards the importance of biodiversity and their desire to continue protecting the beautiful nature through photographs accompanied by heartwarming messages.
UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites
Several million years ago, the Amami archipelago, namely Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Iriomote Island and the northern part of Okinawa Island, drifted from the continent resulting in a rich repository of rare species such as the Amami rabbits and Iriomote cats. A movement is emerging to register and conserve the biodiversity and rich nature as a world natural heritage site. JAL Group is actively involved in this movement to register these islands by the summer of 2020.
Japan Transocean Air (JTA), Ryukyu Air Commuter (RAC), with hubs in Okinawa, and Japan Air Commuter (JAC) with a hub in Kagoshima, are in engaged in explaining and protecting the natural environment together with the region by holding in-house study groups, participating in liaison meetings on poaching and smuggling animals, erecting road signs to prevent roadkill of endangered species, establishing and promoting the Amami Trail that explores the Amami archipelago, to name a few. In 2019 they initiated a joint venture to promote world heritage sites in Okinawa and a community to promote world heritage sites in Kagoshima by engaging local communities. All participating organizations are making good use of their strengths to protect and promote the local natural environment.
Sustainable Activities after World Natural Heritage Registration [World Natural Heritage Okinawa Conservation Consortium]
The "World Natural Heritage Okinawa Conservation Consortium," led by JTA as the representative organization, is advancing collaboration that goes beyond corporate boundaries to unite a shared commitment to environmental conservation and regional revitalization in Okinawa Prefecture, starting with areas registered as World Natural Heritage sites. Even after the heritage registration in 2021, the consortium continues to strengthen its activities. Centered on private companies, it collaborates with local governments and communities to protect rare species and natural environments, as well as to promote awareness and education related to the World Natural Heritage in the Yanbaru region and Iriomote Island.
Specific activities include beach cleanup events, environmental conservation events such as the removal of invasive plant species, symposia regarding World Natural Heritage, and workshops for elementary school students.
Furthermore, the consortium has established and operates the "World Natural Heritage Okinawa Foundation," which, through grant projects supported by the foundation, supports conservation activities, research, and educational initiatives . The consortium will continue to leverage the strengths of corporate collaboration to vigorously promote environmental conservation and regional revitalization in cooperation with local authorities and communities, ensuring that the irreplaceable natural beauty of Okinawa islands is passed on to future generations.
Coral restoration project by enhancing sexual reproduction
One of the attractions of Okinawa is its blue ocean and coral reefs full of life. Coral reefs play various roles, such as conservation of national land and disaster prevention through the wave dissipating effect, because they are places for the coexistence and production of a wide variety of organisms, in addition to the scenic function enjoyed as tourist resources. However, recently, the deterioration of coral reefs along the coast of Okinawa Prefecture has progressed rapidly due to the bleaching phenomenon caused by the rise of sea temperature and the predation of corals caused by the outbreak of coral-eating starfishes.
In recent years in particular, this trend has intensified, leading to a situation where the natural autonomous recovery of the environment cannot keep up.
In response to this critical situation, the Yaeyama Fishery Cooperative Association Coral Seedling Production Subcommittee, which is the main organization conducting activities, has been working on coral regeneration at a practical level since 2018, for the first time in Japan
To support this initiative, Japan Transocean Air (JTA), along with the Fisheries Infrastructure Development Center and several local companies (six at the time of establishment), established the “Council for the Support of Sexual Reproduction and Coral Rehabilitation" in 2020. The council continues to provide technical and financial support, and in 2022, expanded its support from the Yaeyama area to include the Kumejima area. The council’s short-term goal is to cultivate 1,000 coral colonies by 2026.
Achievements in Sexual Reproduction Techniques and Spawning Farms
Although corals may appear like inorganic substances, they are actually living organisms related to jellyfish and sea anemones, spawning once a year.
The coral subcommittee’s core approach involves nurturing corals from eggs produced by sexual reproduction. This method supports the natural life cycle of corals and preserves genetic diversity. Specifically, it uses a "complete aquaculture cycle", which involves collecting eggs annually from genetically diverse corals in the sea and continuously producing seedlings (juvenile corals) without relying on natural coral populations.
After about five years of growth, the juvenile corals mature becoming able to spawn, thus functioning as "coral spawning farms" that efficiently supply larvae to surrounding sea areas, promoting reef recovery.
Following the council’s support, spawning from corals born from sexual reproduction was first observed on May 22, 2024, in Sakieda Bay, Ishigaki City, and was confirmed again in June 2025. This milestone represents a significant step toward aiming for regeneration while maintaining coral biodiversity.
Certification of “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites ”and Future Prospects
The "Ishigaki Island Coral Spawning Farms" managed by the Yaeyama Fisheries Cooperative Association Coral Seedling Production Subcommittee (located in Sakieda Bay and off Yashima) were recognized as one of 201 locations in Japan in the inaugural “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites" in September 2025.
This is the first certification in Japan, including other previous certification frameworks, recognizing a site dedicated primarily to coral reef ecosystem regeneration as “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites.” Moreover, it is acknowledged as a rare example of an activity that contributes to the "recovery" of degraded ecosystems at a national level.
On October 15, 2025, a certificate presentation ceremony was held by the Okinawa-Amami Nature Conservation Office of Ministry of the Environment, attended by supporting companies including JTA from the council.
Maintaining reproductive hubs through coral regeneration gathers organisms that depend on corals, leading to sustainable effects such as increased fishery resources and restoration of fishing grounds. Furthermore, this activity contributes to enhanced values in the use of the sea, such as regenerative tourism, aligning well with the concept of a “Nature Positive Economy,” which links the restoration of natural capital to economic growth.
The council actively utilizes the “Certificate Scheme of Support for Japan’s OECMs,” which officially recognizes support activities, to expand the network of assistance and promote activities alongside sponsoring companies to pass on the rich seas of Okinawa to future generations.
For more details on JTA's activities, please refer to the WebsiteOpen link in a new window(Japanese only).
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Spawning
Courtesy of Yaeyama Fishery
Cooperative Association -
Certification Ceremony for Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites
Mangrove Planting (Amami/Uken village)
Based on the "Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Agreement on Environmental Conservation and Regional Development in Uken village", signed in September 2023, Uken village (Amami), Sophia University, ITOCHU Corporation, and JAL have been working together to realize a zero-carbon city by 2050, which are goals shared by Uken villlage, as well as to conserve and restore biodiversity, and also have been promoting the sustainable regional revitalization by fostering a symbiotic relationship between nature and people and creating new flows of people.
In March 2024, the first initiative under this industry-academia-government agreement was launched with an eco-study tour. This tour provided Sophia University students and ITOCHU employees with the opportunity to experience Uken village’s natural environment and culture while participating in mangrove planting activities. A total of 4 eco-study tours have been held, during which approximately 2,000 trees were planted. Mangrove planting is gaining attention as part of a "blue carbon ecosystem*" that contributes to addressing climate change. Beyond tree planting, participants surveyed the surrounding ecosystems and discussed sustainable management methods. Some remarked that the tour inspired them to perceive efforts to protect ecosystems as personal and meaningful. Through initiatives like this, the JAL Group aims to realize sustainable tourism by leveraging local resources, achieving both environmental preservation and economic revitalization.
The mission of the JAL Group is to promote tourism and facilitate the flow of people through innovative projects connecting “people” and “nature”, while maximizing the use of local resources. JAL strives to pass down a globally rich ecological environment to future generations. Through these activities in Uken Village, JAL will continue contributing to environmental conservation and regional economic revitalization, working toward the realization of a sustainable society.
* Blue carbon refers to carbon captured and stored in the biomass and soil of coastal and marine ecosystems. Defined in a 2009 report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), blue carbon ecosystems are recognized as a new tool for addressing climate change. The major types of blue carbon ecosystems include algal beds, salt marshes, and mangrove forests.
Conserving Amami Black Rabbits
Amami Oshima, the founding place of Japan Air Commuter (JAC) is a beautiful island rich in nature, registered as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2021. The Amami black rabbit, an endangered species that inhabits only Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima, is designated as a special natural monument by the Japanese government. It is considered one of the world’s most precious rabbit species, retaining the most primitive characteristics among existing rabbits.
From the perspectives of biodiversity conservation and promoting tourism in Amami, the JAL Group cooperated in 2013 with the Amami Black Rabbit Trust Campaign promoted by the Association of National Trusts in Japan, supporting activities to pass on Amami’s rich natural environment as a national asset to future generations. We assisted in acquiring areas named "JAL Amami Black Rabbit Forest" and, through the JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) Charity Mile Program, received a total of 1,428,000 miles from 358 members. Thanks to these contributions, the "JMB Minna no Amakuro no Mori" (Everyone’s Amami Black Rabbit Forest) was realized.
In addition, preventing wildlife roadkill and addressing overtourism in certain areas are significant issues on Amami Oshima. Since October 2021, night tours in the relevant areas have been subject to nighttime usage regulation rules. The JAL Amami Sales Office, as a secretariat company of the Natural World Heritage promotion joint consortiums, participates in promoting awareness of these rules and on-site supervision, working closely with local residents to achieve sustainable tourism.
The JAL Group will continue to actively engage in protecting the wildlife of the Amami region, including the Amami black rabbit, and promote a balance between biodiversity conservation and tourism in collaboration with the local community.
Photo provided by the Association of National Trusts Japan
Forest Conservation Initiative on JAL Shopping : "Enriching Forests with Curry!?"
Forests that absorb CO2, a major cause of global warming, cover 70% of Japan’s land area and have long supported our water sources and daily lives. However, changes in the industrial structure of forestry, along with rapidly progressing population decline and aging, have made the increasing number of neglected forests a social issue.
The JAL Group has introduced an option on select items at JAL Shopping, allowing customers to act on environmental issues through their purchases. When you buy the "JAL Original Special Beef Curry," a top-selling favorite on the site, and pay an additional ¥500, a portion of it will fund forest conservation projects in Owase City, Mie Prefecture, part of which will be used to help conserve and restore the forests and ecosystems. In 2024, a total of 700 people participated in the workshop on “Biodiversity Forest Creation” held at “Minna no Mori” (Everyone’s Forest) in Owase City attracted a total of 700 participants. Through this activity, Owase City’s publicly owned forests, including “Minna no Mori,” contribute to an annual increase in CO2 absorption of more than 6,000 tons.*
*Source: Owase City J-Credit Project
Karatsu Bay Seaweed Farming Experience Program
Kyushu Branch of Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., together with the Karafusa Research Group (volunteers from the Saga Genkai Fishery Cooperative Association), Kyushu University, Sashi Elementary School, and Karatsu City jointly implements a hands-on seaweed cultivation program using cultivation ropes. Every November, children experience planting seeds, and in February of the following year, they harvest the grown seaweed. Japan Airlines gives a lecture on airline work and SDGs initiatives, Kyushu University gives a lecture on net-zero CO2 emissions, and all participants conduct a beach cleanup after the seaweed farming experience, all working together to deepen children's learning about environmental issues.
In addition to contributing to biodiversity by enriching seaweed beds through seaweed cultivation, most of the grown seaweed is not harvested but left in the ocean as blue carbon, stored underwater and on the ocean floor, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation. A questionnaire to the children confirmed that the experience led to increased environmental awareness in their immediate surroundings and fostered affection for their hometown of Karatsu, which is blessed with a rich natural environment.
We will continue striving to expand climate change mitigation measures utilizing seaweed beds, to provide ongoing learning opportunities for children who will lead the future, and to maintain and revitalize the local aquaculture industry.
Seaweed Cultivation Experience
Native Species Conservation and Restoration Activities in Hawai’i
In March 2025, as part of the “’OLU ’OLU! Honolulu!” project on JAL operated flights to Honolulu, planting of native species and restoration activities were carried out at the foot of Diamond Head.. Each planting was done by hand, and so the process of digging in the soil, planting the seedlings, and watering them gave the participants an opportunity to imagine the abundance that these seedlings will bring to nature in the future and to feel the strong connection with it.
In addition, restoration at the foot of Diamond Head, organized by a non-profit organization in Hawai’i, involved clearing invasive alien species and turf maintenance. The area had originally been overgrown with invasive species and weeds, with problems such as illegal dumping and untouched nature, but it has now become a recreational area where locals and tourists gather.
In order to protect the beauty of Hawai’i’s natural environment, which is loved by many of our passengers, we will continue exploring potential opportunities.
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JAL×MISIA
To communicate the importance of biodiversity, JAL is committed to cooperate in activities for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity declared in 2011. Misia, a Japanese pop diva, reaches out on the importance of protecting biodiversity and linking it to the future through her music and various activities.
