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"We want our voices to be preserved as legal precedents for future generations."

Yoshitomo Nihongi, second-year student School of Political Science and Economics

Next to Building No. 3 Waseda Campus

In August 2024, young people in their teens and twenties from across the country filed Japan's first climate lawsuit, the "Youth Climate Case Japan," against ten major electric power companies. One of the plaintiffs was Nihongi, a second-year student in School of Political Science and Economics. Nihongi continues to take various actions to ensure a stable climate for the future. We asked him about what led to the lawsuit, the underlying thoughts behind his activities, and his outlook for the future.

--Please tell us what made you interested in environmental issues and what activities you were involved in before entering university.

It all started when I learned about the efforts of Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg when I was in my second year of junior high school. Until then, I had only thought of climate change as something that would happen in the near future, but after hearing Greta's speech, in which she openly expressed her anger at the current situation in which climate change measures are not progressing smoothly in various countries, my thinking completely changed. I realized, "There are people of my generation who are so concerned about the issue of global warming," and "This is such a serious issue that young people like me need to take action."

At my Waseda University Senior High School, in addition to clubs, societies, and committees, there was an organization called "Projects," which were officially recognized by the school but offered a high degree of freedom in their activities. I wanted to do something about climate change, so I joined the "Environmental Project." However, since the scope of activities was basically within the campus, I gradually became interested in extracurricular activities that had a stronger political and social impact. In my second year of high school, I joined "Fridays for Future Tokyo," a movement calling for action on the climate crisis, and began my activities there. This opportunity created an environment where I could express my opinions externally with like-minded peers, and in addition to street activities such as demonstrations and stand-ups, it provided me with valuable opportunities to interact with members of parliament, bureaucrats, and business people. I was conscious of spreading climate change action through a variety of approaches, and that policy has not changed to this day.

Nihongi (second from the right) was a high school student at a demonstration as a member of Fridays for Future Tokyo, holding a placard that read, "The climate crisis is everyone's problem."

How did you end up joining the Youth Climate Case Japan plaintiffs?

Many people and organizations, including myself, continue to appeal to the government and legislature, but Japan's climate change measures are still lagging behind the rest of the world, and I felt stuck and wondered why nothing was changing. To begin with, there are significant institutional difficulties for ordinary citizens to appeal directly to national politics.

So I decided to put into practice an idea I had had for a while: that perhaps it would be better to approach the courts more. Demonstrations and stand-up protests may not go down in history if they are not covered by the media. But lawsuits remain as legal precedents. There are many examples of citizens winning pollution lawsuits, and even if they don't win, they are passed down to future generations as public records and reports.

In April 2024, the European Court of Human Rights issued a landmark ruling recognizing that "states have a responsibility to take climate change measures in order to protect human rights." This decision resonated with the community working on the climate crisis in Japan, and momentum to file a lawsuit grew among them. With the support of environmental NGOs, civic groups, and lawyers we knew, 16 young people from around the country who agreed with this idea gathered together and filed a civil lawsuit in the Nagoya District Court in August 2024. The defendants are 10 major electric power companies, the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Japan, and we are seeking a legal obligation to reduce emissions and for them to fulfill that obligation.

Nihongi (second from the right) walking with the plaintiffs holding a banner

What are the challenges you face in litigation?

We, the plaintiffs, are working hard with our lawyers to prove that the defendant's efforts were insufficient. The defendants, on the other hand, claim that we lack standing to sue. Their motivation for this lawsuit seems low, and their attorneys and employees rarely show up in court, which often leaves us feeling uncomfortable with the difference in enthusiasm between them and us.

*The ability to file a lawsuit in court.

On the other hand, by choosing to take the legal action, we have clearly attracted more attention than when we were just working within Fridays for Future, which we feel is a positive outcome. Rather than holding demonstrations or standing rallies, we have been able to attract more citizens by calling on them to attend court hearings and briefing sessions, and in some cases the number of people who can attend court hearings has nearly doubled. We have also received more media coverage, including being featured on television news.

In August 2024, at a briefing held when the Youth Climate Case Japan was filed, the plaintiffs spoke about their thoughts on the lawsuit.

- Are there any ideas that you value when it comes to your activities?

When we think of climate change countermeasures, we tend to have the image of having to go to great lengths to save energy, but I don't think it's a bad thing to go to the trouble of using air conditioning on hot days and heating on cold days. Rather than individuals having to go to extremes, I think we should create a social structure where, for example, we create an environment where electricity is supplied by renewable energy, and where people can unconsciously reduce their environmental impact even while living comfortably. That's why I hope that this lawsuit will prompt governments and companies to take the lead in tackling climate change.

--Why did you choose to study at the Faculty of School of Political Science and Economics, and what are you studying there?

Initially, I was interested in School of Creative Science and Engineering, which allows me to engage with environmental issues through technology, but I decided I should think about ways to influence society to promote environmental measures, so I chose the Department of Political Science in School of Political Science and Economics. I think the best thing about School of Political Science and Economics is that it studies politics from a mathematical perspective, such as data. In Professor Yoshikuni Ono 's (Faculty of Political Science and Economics) seminar, which I have been enrolled in since my third year, I hope to study human political behavior using methods from psychology and statistics, while also working across various fields.

--Please tell us about your future prospects.

Activities that appeal to society require both quality and quantity. Of course, we want to win the Youth Climate Case Japan, but there are limits to what we can do on our own, and we feel that our activity volume is overwhelmingly insufficient, especially right now. That's why we want to apply a method called community organizing, in which people with the same goals gather together and expand their circle, to our activities, and create a movement that allows more people to get involved in environmental issues in various ways.

To achieve this, I believe we need to communicate in a way that is more easily accepted by people. As part of my trial and error process, I have recently stopped using megaphones at demonstrations and stand-up demonstrations. Instead, I pick up a microphone and speak calmly to each individual. I try to be more creative with the content of my placards and keep the atmosphere cheerful. I want to break down the negative stereotype of loud voices expressing opinions about society, and I will continue to do my best to tackle environmental issues with as many people as possible.

A Fridays for Future protest calling on the government to promote renewable energy at the south exit of Shinjuku Station on November 15, 2024. The event was held in conjunction with the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

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Interview, text and photography: Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC student staff)
Suhon Kanai, 2nd year student, School of Law

【Profile】

At Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture

Born in Tokyo. Graduated Waseda University Senior High School. When traveling, he tries to use environmentally friendly railways, and his hobby is to travel on local trains with spectacular views, clutching his Seishun 18 Ticket. He is a member of the Seiyukai (official student club), Manga Study Group (official student club), and Philosophy and Criticism Study Group (official student club), and is active in many areas, including planning a film screening with volunteers at WASEDASAI.