What effect did the disclosure of the CFP calculation for the flagship product, "Iwatani Cassette Gas (Orange)" have internally and externally by working in conjunction with Zeroboard?
What effect did the disclosure of the CFP calculation for the flagship product, "Iwatani Cassette Gas (Orange)" have internally and externally by working in conjunction with Zeroboard?
Person in charge (department and title at the time of interview)
General Manager of Customer Service Department, Cartridge Gas Division, Integrated Energy Business Division
Mr. Tsuyoshi Tada
Energy Headquarters Industry Energy Department (Tokyo)
Deputy Section Manager
Mr. Norinori Sawane
While individual companies have begun calculating and reducing GHG emission amount at the organizational level in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, it is also important to reduce emission amount throughout the entire supply chain. To achieve this, it is necessary to create a market in which carbon-free and low-carbon products (green products) are chosen, and there is a need to create a system that visualizes the carbon footprint of the Products (hereinafter referred to as "CFP"), which is the emission amount per product and Service that forms the basis for this. As emission amount have become a metric for corporate evaluation, there is a growing movement to require CFP throughout the supply chain.
This time, we worked closely with Zeroboard to calculate the CFP for Iwatani Cassette Gas (Orange) and asked them about the background and effects of publicly announcing the results.
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Issue and background to introduction
- New initiatives to improve brand power
- I would like to perform Japan's first CFP calculation in accordance with the Ministry of Economy, Industry's "Carbon Footprint Guidelines (draft)"
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Reasons for choosing Zeroboard
- I wanted to create a CFP calculation example with Zeroboard, which was the first in the industry to release a CFP calculation function.
- Calculation support by specialized personnel (interpretation of rules, classification/judgment of items, Create of life cycle flow diagrams, etc.)
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Introduction effects and expected effects in the future
- Japan's first* third-party verification based on calculations based on the "Carbon Footprint Guidelines (draft)"
- Evaluations from buyers in major distribution industries where decarbonization efforts are progressing
- Visualization (quantification) revealed room for reduction and mapped out a path to reduction methods.
- Fostering a sense of ownership among internal members *According to our research
We want to deliver new initiatives to many people by calculating the CFP of the most popular products that are closest to consumers.
Mr. Tsuyoshi Tada, General Manager of Customer Service Department, Cartridge Gas Division, Comprehensive Energy Business Division
--You have been calculating GHG emissions as a company up until now. What made you decide to calculate CFP emissions this time?
Tada: The Iwatani Group has announced its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, and as a milestone towards that goal, we aim to reduce our domestic CO2 emissions by 50% by fiscal 2030 compared to fiscal 2019.
Our department is the Cartridge Gas Headquarters, and we handle Iwatani Cassette Gas (Orange) (hereinafter referred to as "cassette gas"), which is familiar to the general public. Thanks to you, we have the top domestic market share for our cassette stoves and cassette gas cylinders. As part of this, we decided to try calculating the CFP for cassette gas, which uses fossil fuels as raw materials, as one of our new initiatives. I myself did not have a strong understanding of CFP, and to begin with, there were no other companies that calculated the CFP for cassette gas cylinders, so it felt like we were tackling unknown territory.
Why did you choose that product?
Tada-san: We chose the Iwatani Group's flagship product because we felt it would be best to have a product that is closest to the consumer. We are proud of the excellent facilities at our own Shiga factory. We wanted to try a new initiative, CFP calculation, at such a factory, and because it is a factory dedicated to the Manufacturing of cassette gas, it also had the advantage of being easy to work on the calculation.
Rather than calculating it for B2B products, we thought that by calculating it for cassette gas, which is well known among general consumers, our efforts would reach more people.
In order to promote this as a new initiative, we started calculating it around the time CFP became a hot topic in the world.
Sawane: We also wanted to improve our product brand power by implementing such an initiative as quickly as possible.
Tada-san: I thought it would be an effective way to differentiate ourselves from other manufacturers, and also an opportunity to highlight the added value of Iwatani's cassette gas as an environmentally friendly product.
Production line at the Shiga factory that Manufacturing Iwatani cassette gas (orange)
--What were the reasons that you chose to hire us to work on this project?
Tada: First of all, the main reason we chose Zeroboard was because we were an alliance partner. Also, Zeroboard was one of the first in the industry to release a CFP calculation function in July 2022. When we saw that, we wanted to be the first to incorporate it, so we asked them to help us.
He led the calculations by incorporating the latest developments in the world, including determining calculation methods, selecting calculation items, and formulating scenarios.
--What do you think of the Zeroboard calculation support?
--The calculation knowledge that we have gained through working closely with your company seems like it can be put to good use in the CFP calculation function of "zeroboard."
Tada: It was really helpful to have the support we received in formulating the scenario and thinking about whether to allocate or accumulate the costs depending on the Contents.
Sawane: It was really helpful that they provided us with criteria for making decisions and guided us in a certain way. It was because of that that we were able to move forward.
Tada-san: Zeroboard attends various external conferences regarding CFP and is always up to date with the latest trends. It was great to see them providing support while staying one step ahead with their new knowledge.
In fact, a Zeroboard representative visited our Shiga factory and together Create a detailed life cycle flow diagram and calculated all of the CO2 emissions generated from it, which allowed us to get a complete calculation without any omissions.
Mr. Sawane: We had a Zeroboard representative present during the third-party verification review. They answered even the technical questions we couldn't answer, which was really helpful.
Visited Shiga factory for calculation support. From left: Mr. Sawane, Mr. Tada, Zeroboard Ueda, Suzuki, Shiga Factory President Mori (at the time), and Section Manager Yokoigawa.
By disclosing the CFP of our products, we provide an opportunity for employees to make it their own. It also led to excitement that stimulated employees' desire to know more.
--I understand that after you complete the calculations, you plan to actually sell the products with QR codes (links to the CFP publication site). Have you received any feedback from within or outside the company?
Tada: We received surprised reactions from people in the portable stove and gas cylinder industry, but when we presented the idea at meetings with distributors and other parties, some people didn't seem to understand, so my honest impression is that CFP has not yet taken hold.
In the future, we would like to strengthen our efforts with Retail in the areas of decarbonization and the environment.
--By calculating emission amount for each life cycle, what Issue have become apparent, such as where there is room for reduction?
--What effects have been achieved through this calculation and publication?
-What are your future prospects?
Let's work together. Thank you for your continued support.
Iwatani Corporation CFP publication page (CFP for fiscal year 2021 is 1.3162 kg-CO₂e/bottle)
https://www.iwatani.co.jp/jpn/consumer/products/cg/useful/cfp/
The official guidelines have now been published.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced the "Carbon Footprint Report" and "Carbon Footprint Guidelines" in March 2023.
https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2022/03/20230331009/20230331009.html
February 2026 Update: Latest Initiatives
From visualization to action: The birth of the industry's first "carbon offset cassette gas"
"Visualization of CO2 emission amount " through CFP (Carbon Footprint) calculation made possible with the support of Zeroboard .
Iwatani Corporation took this as its first step, and as its next concrete action, it launched "Carbon offset Cassette Gas" in the spring of 2025.
■ Based on calculated values, CO2 emissions throughout the entire life cycle are essentially zero
This product calculates the CFP per cassette gas and offset it using the government-certified "J-Credit" to virtually eliminate CO2 emission amount throughout the product's life cycle. This is the first attempt in the cassette gas stove gas cylinder industry.
■ Iwatani's "J-Credit" Creation Scheme
The greatest feature of this product is that the credits used for offset are generated within our own business. Toward building a low-carbon and zero-carbon society, our Industry Energy Department is promoting the introduction of high-efficiency boilers for factories and other businesses, and the conversion from oil fuels to environmentally friendly LP gas and LNG.
The CO₂ reductions achieved through this initiative are calculated and tallied, and J-Credits are generated as part of the Iwatani J-Credit Project. The credits generated through this initiative are used to offset this product.
We will return the environmental value we create through our business activity to our flagship products...
This consistent story is Iwatani's unique approach to decarbonization.
■ Towards a market where consumers can choose to contribute to the environment
From the "knowing (calculating)" to the "reducing (action)" phase.
Through cassette gas, which is the most familiar product to consumers, we will contribute to creating a market where users can understand the environmental impact and make environmentally conscious choices.
▼"Carbon offset Cassette Gas" product page : https://www.iwatani.co.jp/jpn/consumer/products/cg/useful/decarbonization/jcredit/
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Decarbonization Support Expert
In his previous job, he was in charge of GHG emission amount calculations and decarbonization solutions projects in local governments, contributing to decarbonization in the region. He is also in charge of developing Service using location information in Singapore.
Calculation track record: GHG calculation support for local governments, specialized Trading company, house manufacturers, printing companies, etc., EV demand taxi demonstration experiment
Although there were no clear CFP calculation rules for cassette gas, we were able to move forward together, discussing the calculation logic one by one.
Calculating the CFP from scratch must have been difficult, but I felt a sense of mission as the Iwatani Group, a leading company in the gas cartridge industry.
We look forward to continuing to set new standards together with you.
