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Climate Bonds Initiative and Kamakura Sustainability Institute have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding to establish a framework for collaboration aimed at supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. The agreement, announced in Tokyo on 24 February 2026, formalizes cooperation between the two organizations to strengthen green and transition finance efforts across the Asia-Pacific region.

The partnership brings together Climate Bonds Initiative’s global leadership in sustainable finance frameworks and market development with Kamakura Sustainability Institute’s research expertise and strong domestic platform in Japan. The collaboration is designed to bridge global standards with local implementation, reinforcing efforts to mobilize capital for climate action while contributing to broader global climate goals.

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Strengthening Capacity and Market Development

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the two organizations will collaborate across several strategic areas. The focus includes building capacity for Japanese national and sub-national governments as well as private sector actors in green and transition growth planning, financing, and institutional frameworks. The partnership will also enhance cooperation and promote evidence-based knowledge sharing on green finance, while advancing thought leadership on growth opportunities within Japan’s themed bond markets.

The agreement further provides for staff exchanges and expert collaboration, strengthening institutional ties and facilitating deeper engagement between global sustainable finance standards and domestic market practice. The MoU builds on earlier knowledge-sharing efforts in 2025, when workshops delivered domestic and international insights to deepen practical understanding of transition finance and transition plan assessment.

By consolidating the partnership, both organizations aim to ensure complementarity in their activities and accelerate the development of sustainable finance markets in response to the global climate challenge.

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Aligning Japan’s Green Transformation With Global Standards

Japan’s sustainable finance market continues to gain momentum as the country advances policy frameworks and mobilizes capital for climate action. In 2025, Japan expanded its Green Transformation strategy, aligning public and private stakeholders around emerging standards and investment strategies consistent with global best practices. These efforts reflect a broader ambition to translate climate policy into investable opportunities and scale sustainable finance solutions within the domestic market.

Yumiko Watanabe, Japan Programme Lead at Climate Bonds Initiative, emphasized that the collaboration will help connect policy, research, and market practice while strengthening institutional capacity to unlock capital for green and transition investments.

Ai Aonuma, Co-Founder and Representative Director of Kamakura Sustainability Institute, noted that the partnership aims to contribute to the development of credible transition pathways in Japan and support progress across the Asia-Pacific region toward a net-zero society.

Through this agreement, Climate Bonds Initiative and Kamakura Sustainability Institute are positioning themselves to play a stronger role in shaping green and transition finance markets, both in Japan and across the broader Asia-Pacific region, while reinforcing alignment with international climate commitments.

Source: https://www.climatebonds.net/news-events/press-room/press-releases

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