[Japan First*] EARTHSTORY Voluntary Carbon Credits (316 tCO2e) Issued via Business Water Saving
Linkhola Co., Ltd. and Earth & Water Co., Ltd. have completed the issuance of 316 tCO2e in voluntary carbon credits through water and hot water saving at business facilities, marking a historical first in Japan.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 19:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 09:56 (23h 24m after Collected)
Linkhola Co., Ltd. (HQ: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kyoko Nomura) and Earth & Water Co., Ltd. (HQ: Edogawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Masami Yamanaka) are pleased to announce the successful issuance of the first-ever voluntary carbon credits in Japan created through 'water and hot water saving' projects. This was verified on April 24, 2026, based on internal research.
This project was issued as the first-ever water/hot water saving project under Linkhola's private-sector voluntary credit system, 'EARTHSTORY.' Within less than four months since the project application on December 26, 2025, third-party audits were completed, realizing the issuance of 316 tCO2e. This goes beyond the mere promotion of water-saving devices; it is a historic first step in internationalizing Japan's 'water consumption management' scheme as environmental value.
■ Project Features and Achievements
First Credit Creation for Private Business Water Saving
Traditionally, the carbon credit market has focused on renewable energy, forestry, and farmland. This project has opened a completely new genre by turning 'daily business activities' into environmental value. While the J-Credit system is limited to residential settings, EARTHSTORY can monetize water and hot water saving in non-residential private facilities like hotels, inns, nursing homes, and public baths. This domain offers a new means of Scope 3 reduction for water-intensive industries like restaurant chains, beverages, cosmetics, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals.
Programmatic Project by Energy Conservation Grand Prize Winner
Earth & Water has 15 years of experience in installing water-saving equipment for private companies, with over 12,000 installations. They are known for their 'Eco Touch' series, the only water-saving device to win the Energy Conservation Grand Prize. For this project, a 'programmatic' approach was used, bundling eight facilities from multiple corporations to undergo a unified audit. This significantly reduced costs and time and serves as a 'mass-production model' for nationwide expansion.
Fast Issuance within Less Than Four Months
For this first challenge, eight facilities including hotels, nursing homes, and public baths were selected. By quantifying water savings and the resulting energy reductions in water systems and water heating, 316 tCO2e were certified. The speed of issuance—from application on December 26, 2025, to issuance on April 23, 2026—demonstrates the strength of the EARTHSTORY system.
■ Global Vision: Bringing Japan's Water-Saving Scheme to the World
With global population growth, climate change, and the expansion of data centers driven by AI, freshwater resources are becoming highly contested. Water saving is a rare effective measure that achieves both conservation and decarbonization. This issuance marks the establishment of a successful model in Japan, with sights set on global expansion.
This project was issued as the first-ever water/hot water saving project under Linkhola's private-sector voluntary credit system, 'EARTHSTORY.' Within less than four months since the project application on December 26, 2025, third-party audits were completed, realizing the issuance of 316 tCO2e. This goes beyond the mere promotion of water-saving devices; it is a historic first step in internationalizing Japan's 'water consumption management' scheme as environmental value.
■ Project Features and Achievements
First Credit Creation for Private Business Water Saving
Traditionally, the carbon credit market has focused on renewable energy, forestry, and farmland. This project has opened a completely new genre by turning 'daily business activities' into environmental value. While the J-Credit system is limited to residential settings, EARTHSTORY can monetize water and hot water saving in non-residential private facilities like hotels, inns, nursing homes, and public baths. This domain offers a new means of Scope 3 reduction for water-intensive industries like restaurant chains, beverages, cosmetics, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals.
Programmatic Project by Energy Conservation Grand Prize Winner
Earth & Water has 15 years of experience in installing water-saving equipment for private companies, with over 12,000 installations. They are known for their 'Eco Touch' series, the only water-saving device to win the Energy Conservation Grand Prize. For this project, a 'programmatic' approach was used, bundling eight facilities from multiple corporations to undergo a unified audit. This significantly reduced costs and time and serves as a 'mass-production model' for nationwide expansion.
Fast Issuance within Less Than Four Months
For this first challenge, eight facilities including hotels, nursing homes, and public baths were selected. By quantifying water savings and the resulting energy reductions in water systems and water heating, 316 tCO2e were certified. The speed of issuance—from application on December 26, 2025, to issuance on April 23, 2026—demonstrates the strength of the EARTHSTORY system.
■ Global Vision: Bringing Japan's Water-Saving Scheme to the World
With global population growth, climate change, and the expansion of data centers driven by AI, freshwater resources are becoming highly contested. Water saving is a rare effective measure that achieves both conservation and decarbonization. This issuance marks the establishment of a successful model in Japan, with sights set on global expansion.