Amazon announces first Right Now Climate Fund investment in Japan, helping to restore forests and biodiversity
Amazon has announced its first Right Now Climate Fund investment in Japan , supporting a forest biodiversity restoration project in partnership with the National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization (NALAPO).
With a ¥220 million ($1.4 million) investment through 2030, Amazon will help restore up to 20 sites totaling 100 hectares of forest near the Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya metropolitan areas where many of its customers and employees live and work.
Over five years, the project aims to give around 72,000 people the chance to connect with nature, including 20,000 students who will take part in hands-on environmental education.
Around 70% of Japan is covered by forest, yet much of it faces challenges from a lack of upkeep and environmental change. No two sites are alike, so the project tailors its approach to each forest—removing invasive species, thinning overgrown stands, and reintroducing native trees to rebuild habitats where wildlife can live, move, and breed.
In Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture, work is already underway along the headwaters of the Kiryu River, where deer browsing and snow damage has left trees broken and dying. By thinning and replanting native broadleaf trees along the riverbanks, the team is restoring light, insects, and the stream fish that feed on them.
In Chiba Prefecture, overgrown bamboo is being cleared, including at a children's nature playground, reconnecting local families with the forests near their homes.
All 20 sites will pursue Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) certification, which recognizes areas outside legally protected zones that contribute to biodiversity conservation.
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