"Fossil of the Day: Japan," 13 November 2025

COP30, Belem – Today’s Fossil goes to Japan – for three strikes against climate justice. Three reasons that cut straight to the heart of why COP30 has to fight so hard to deliver truth:

...
Violating Indigenous Rights

Japan is bankrolling gas mega-projects in Australia – from Scarborough to the Burrup Hub – that threaten lands, waters, and culture.

• No Free, Prior and Informed Consent: Indigenous communities were pressured into silence through gag orders.
• Cultural Destruction: Rock art older than the pyramids is being eroded by emissions.
• Export Colonialism: Japan over-contracts gas, then re-sells it across Asia – displacing renewables and sabotaging the Just Transition demanded by communities across the region.

Since 2008, Japan and Korea have poured US$20.5 billion into Australian gas. Japan’s export credit agency alone backs 64% of that, underwriting climate chaos.

Undermining a Just Transition

Japan continues to resist efforts to embed justice, equity, and people-centred transition planning under the UNFCCC. At COP30, Japan is blocking efforts to enshrine justice in the transition. It supports the “do nothing till 2026” option – refusing to back institutional arrangements for equity or community voice. They are not even trying to hide their dislike of Just Transition being discussed at the UNFCCC.

In short: Japan is violating Indigenous rights, blocking justice in negotiations, and selling fossil-fuel lifelines as “solutions.”

That’s why Japan takes today’s Fossil of the Day.

Japan, your fossil agenda is showing...