“Media is Hope” – What kind of media is needed now more than ever? [Climate Change Media Symposium 2025] to be held
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On Wednesday, May 28th, we will be holding a discussion with media representatives from NHK and private broadcasters, the United Nations, companies and business leaders, Japan’s largest climate change network, and climate scientists.
一般社団法人Media is Hope
In Japan, while awareness of “decarbonization/carbon neutrality” exceeds 90%, the proportion of people taking action remains limited at 22.7%* to 33.6%. Although climate change is an issue that affects everyone, it is difficult for people to personalize. In recent years, there has been a notable decline in awareness among Japanese people, with “sustainability fatigue” becoming widespread.
“Beyond mere awareness, what role is expected of the media when aiming for a society that can solve climate change? What kind of reporting and media approaches are needed?” This symposium brings together media professionals, audiences, businesses, the United Nations, and diverse stakeholders to discuss mechanisms for sustained climate change reporting.
*1 Hakuhodo Incorporated: Survey on Consumers’ Decarbonization Awareness & Actions
*2 DENTSU INC. :Consumer Survey on Carbon Neutrality
*3 Ipsos: Survey on Japanese Awareness Decline Regarding Climate Action Measures (Ranking Lowest Among 32 Countries)
<<Outline >>
[Climate Change Media Symposium 2025]
■ Date:5/28/2025 (Wed) 3:00PM-6:00PM Symposium (6:00PM-7:00PM Networking)
■ Venue: Hibiya Sky Conference Room B @1-1-1 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 11F *In-person event only
■ Registration Form: https://forms.gle/vnSrz7zSic4nk5hk9 *Registration will close when capacity is reached
■ Host: MEDIA IS HOPE Inc.
■ Cooperation: United Nations Information Centre
■ Time Schedule：
14:45〜15:00 Reception
15:00〜15:10 Opening remarks (purpose explanation & speaker introduction)
15:10〜15:55
[Session 1] UN Under-Secretary-General Fleming, UNIC Director Nemoto, Media Representatives
<Restoring integrity to an information space where social division is deepening. What role can media play?>
Utilizing the “UN Global Principles for Information Integrity,” we will explore with media professionals how to establish trusted media through perspectives on fact-checking and reporting that includes solutions.
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16:00〜16:45 |
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17:00〜17:45 |
17:50〜18:00 Closing remarks
Kaoru Nemoto (Director, United Nations Information Centre)
Sergio Shigeo Kato (Co-Representative, Japan Climate Initiative)
Yuka Natori, Yoshizo Nishida(Co-Lead/Director of MEDIA IS HOPE Inc.)
■ Speaker Profile：
Melissa Fleming (UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications)
She leads the UN Department of Global Communications, working to deepen people’s understanding of global issues and gain interest and support for UN initiatives and goals. She develops UN strategic communications including multilingual and digital communications, outreach activities, and campaigns. Led the development of the “UN Global Principles for Information Integrity,” which serves as a blueprint for a healthy information ecosystem.
Kaoru Nemoto (Director, United Nations Information Centre)
She graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law. After working in mass media and obtaining a master’s degree in the United States, she served at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 1996 to the end of 2011. Also served as a Public Information Officer for the World Food Programme(WFP) and the Executive Director of the Japan Association for UNHCR. Assumed current position in August 2013. Received the 2021 Japan PR Grand Prize “Person of the Year Award” for her continued advocacy of the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Junya Yabuuchi (NHK News Bureau, Mobile Deployment Project, News Desk)
He joined NHK in 1996. First posted in Kyoto, where he covered the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol at COP3. After that, he covered medical fields such as cancer and infectious diseases in the Science and Culture Department. After serving as the desk in charge of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki, he worked as a correspondent for the U.S. General Bureau during the first Trump administration, covering the spread of false/misinformation. Currently, he is the desk in charge of anti-fake news measures.
Yutaka Yamaguchi(TV Asahi Newscaster)
He joined TV Asahi in 1992. Has worked for many years as a newscaster on “ANN News” and as a reporter on “Hodo Station”. Covers the front lines of climate change in Japan and around the world. Currently, continues to cover renewable energy as a measure to combat climate change and revitalize local communities. A special program on renewable energy will be broadcast for two consecutive years from 2023. Provisional member of the Comprehensive Policy Division of the Central Environment Council of the Ministry of the Environment.
Masanori Imai (Chairperson and Representative Director, Toda Corporation and Co-Representative of the Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership (JCLP))
He joined Toda Construction in 1978. After serving as Representative Director and President in 2013, he was appointed Representative Director and Chairman in April 2021. In October of the same year, he was appointed Co-Chair of Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership (JCLP). In order to fulfill his responsibility to future generations, he is focusing on realizing a carbon-neutral society and floating offshore wind power. He is also working to make the construction industry an attractive and desirable industry, including serving as chairman of the National General Contractors Association of Japan.
Seita Emori (Vice Director, Institute for Future Initiatives Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives)
He joined National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) as Researcher in 1997 after completing his doctorate in the University of Tokyo. He took an external assignment to conduct research using the Earth Simulator at Frontier Research System for Global Change in 2001 and returned to NIES as Senior Researcher in 2004. He has been working as Chief of Climate Risk Assessment Section, Center for Global Environmental Research, NIES, since 2006. His area of specialty is future projections and risk studies of climate change. He is a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 5th and 6th Assessment Report (AR5 and AR6).
Jun Tamano (Manager, Marketing Design Department, J-WAVE Marketing Design Bureau)
He joined J-WAVE in 1998. In charge of the newsroom and disaster prevention specialist. In addition to news work, he led the GROW GREEN PROJECT, which spreads green curtains to beat the summer heat, and “Climate Change Action! WEATHER INFORMATION,” which calls attention to climate change in the weather forecast section. He is dedicated to changing listeners’ awareness and behavior.
Ryosuke Matsuzoe (Reporter, Science Group, Editorial Office, Tokyo Headquarters, Nikkei Inc.)
After joining Nikkei Inc. in 2015, he is mainly in charge of reporting on the science and technology field. He has extensive experience in reporting on issues related to the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and the restart of nuclear power plants, as well as trends in the space industry. He has been in charge of climate change issues since 2024. He received the Media is Hope AWARD 2024 Individual Award for the second half of the year.
Ken Tanaka Climate & Energy Group Officer, WWF Japan
After working in environmental administration such as waste management and recycling promotion at the Fukuoka Prefectural Government and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, he worked as a science communicator at the Miraikan, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, in collaboration with domestic and international institutions, and was involved in various projects linking science and technology with citizens. He has been in his current position since 2018. He is working to strengthen climate change measures by non-state actors through the Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) and other organizations. He completed her Master of Science at the Graduate School of Sciences at Kyushu University.
Yuka Natori (Co-Lead/Director of MEDIA IS HOPE Inc.)
After graduating from college, I started working for an entertainment company, which had been my dream since childhood. During my five years there, I have gained experience in event planning, working with VIPs, and training new employees. In 2019, I began to ponder the meaning of true happiness and abundance, which led to my leaving the company. After that, I became a social worker to provide direct social support. At the same time, I am working hard to create new value, build social systems, and fundamentally reform society to solve climate change with the communication skills and creative ideas I developed in my previous position. At Media is Hope, I am mainly in charge of external communication and brand strategy.
Yumiko Kosugi (Communication Designer, Content Creative Division, Hakuhodo)
After working in production, she joined the Hakuhodo DY Group in 2011. She is involved in communication planning and media development with themes of local, cultural and social issues. She is currently in charge of projects promoting sustainability at Hakuhodo SX Professionals, a cross-sectional organization of the Hakuhodo Group. She is exploring ways to create a regenerative society where people can participate in a positive way.
Takatomi Sindou (Deputy Director of the Sales Promotion Department, TV Tokyo)
Joined TV Tokyo in 2000. In the news department, he was the director of “Gaia no Yoake,” a reporter and field anchor for “World Business Satellite,” and a correspondent for the New York branch. He moved to the sales department in 2025. As a new business, he launched the blue carbon project “Let’s Create a Sea Forest with TV Tokyo!” Project. He is working on matching local governments that are promoting the restoration of seaweed beds with CO2-emitting companies.
Tosei Nagamatsu (Sustainable Society Team Leader, Business Development Division, Corporate Business Company, LINE Yahoo Japan Corporation)
He joined LINE Corporation in 2023. He is responsible for new business development at a company that handles corporate advertising and digital transformation. In addition to promoting the use of the LINE platform in transportation services such as MaaS, he is also in charge of product planning for LINE mini-apps. He is currently in charge of business development in the public and social sectors, such as “Sasutomo,” which delivers news and ideas on sustainability, and the use of LINE in local governments.
Yoshizo Nishida(Co-Lead/Director of MEDIA IS HOPE Inc.)
I have been interested in environmental issues since 6th grade, when the Kyoto Protocol was taking center stage, and went on to major in environmental studies in college. However, dismayed at the staggering gap between reality and ideal, for a while I gave up on that path. After that, while working as a producer for TV commercials and in branding with a creative agency, I became a father of two, which rekindled my interest in climate change. Currently, while working for a project management company, I am mapping out an epic journey to solve climate change from all perspectives and angles. At Media is Hope, I am mainly in charge of external communications and business strategy.
Sergio Shigeo Kato (Co-Representative, Japan Climate Initiative)
“In 2015, I participated in COP21, where the Paris Agreement was adopted, and witnessed the strong commitments to zero emissions among the world’s business leaders. This led me to work on Ricoh’s commitment to decarbonization, becoming the first Japanese company to participate in RE100, coaxing our business and the SDGs, and transforming to ESG management as the executive in charge of sustainability. Later, as co-chair of the Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership (JCLP), I have worked to contribute to solving social issues in business and industry. I proposed the establishment of the Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) as a broader framework that includes not only corporations, but also local governments, universities, research institutions, and NGOs, in order for all non-state actors to work together toward the realization of a decarbonized society in Japan. As a tag-team with Mr. Takejiro Sueyoshi, I will do my utmost to ensure that the JCI will be an even greater force for progress in climate action.”
■ Event Objectives:
We will explore communications that can dispel “sustainability fatigue” and give audiences hope.
We will hold a discussion on the following topics:
- Solution journalism that includes solutions within reporting.
- Participatory projects and engaged journalism that nurture audience self-efficacy.
- Collaborative efforts for a healthy information space, including fact-checking.
- An approach that demonstrates one’s own initiatives to empower people and regain trust.
- Methods for media to proactively advance measures through co-creation with stakeholders as companies.
As with last year, we hope to make this a fruitful opportunity for both speakers and participants. We hope that the importance of media collaboration will be recognized and lead to new practices with stakeholders in various positions.
*Archive video of last year’s “Climate Change Media Symposium” is available here↓
Released Archive Videos of All Sessions from [Climate Change Media Symposium]
■ Host：
A non-profit organization that provides various support to strengthen climate change reporting in order to realize a society that can solve climate change. Aiming to fundamentally solve climate change, it acts as a bridge to build co-creative relationships between media, citizens, companies, and all other stakeholders. It also operates a media collaboration platform that transcends media and affiliations.
HP：http://media-is-hope.org
Media is Hope also provide spaces for various stakeholders to connect and co-create, such as by hosting the Climate Change Media Symposium, where media professionals, international organizations such as the United Nations, experts, practitioners, citizens and young people discuss the type of reporting required to solve climate change, and “Let’s Make It Together! Renewable Energy Day” supported by the Ministry of the Environment.
■ Contact：contact@media-is-hope.org（MEDIA IS HOPE Co-Lead Yoshizo Nishida / Yuka Natori）