Neste and ITOCHU Corp. have announced that they are joining forces to deliver renewable diesel to the Japanese market. In this collaboration, ITOCHU Corp. will be the first company in Japan to sell and distribute renewable diesel from Neste. In addition, FamilyMart, which is owned by ITOCHU Corp. and is one of the largest convenience store chains in Japan, will start to use renewable diesel in some of the delivery vehicles at their distribution center in Yokohama City. This will be the first time that convenience store delivery vehicles use renewable diesel in Japan. 

 

Significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by shifting to renewable diesel

The renewable diesel from Neste, is produced from 100 percent renewable raw materials and helps reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 90 percent when emissions over the fuel's life cycle are compared with fossil diesel. The renewable diesel is a “drop-in” fuel, fully compatible with all diesel engines, not requiring any modifications to the existing vehicles or fuel distribution infrastructures. 

 

ITOCHU Corp. and FamilyMart on sustainability

ITOCHU Corp. has set "Contribute to and strengthen initiatives for the sustainable development goals" as one of the basic policies in its medium-term management plan and will continue the work to introduce renewable diesel in Japan.

FamilyMart established the “FamilyMart Eco Vision 2050” in February 2020. To contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, it has set numeric goals under three themes: "reduction of greenhouse gas,” "plastic measures," and "reduction of food loss" as the mid- and long-term goals for 2030 and 2050. With its message, "FamilyMart, Where You Are One of the Family," FamilyMart will advance the sustainability initiatives to achieve continuous growth with society. 

In 2020, Neste’s renewable products helped customers in several geographic markets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10.0 million tons altogether. This amount equals the annual carbon footprint of 1.5 million average EU citizens (source: World Bank) or the removal of 3.7 million passenger cars from the roads for a full year. Neste is now happy to be part of the journey to reduce GHG emissions of the road transportation industry also in Japan.

“We are very excited and pleased to work together with our partner ITOCHU Corporation to develop the Japanese market for Neste renewable diesel, which will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” says Carl Nyberg, executive vice president, renewable road transportation at Neste.