A Precious Resource - Understanding “Water” is Essential

Water is a precious gift from nature that supports all life.
Suntory Group recognizes the importance of water in our corporate activities and the need for the sustainable use of water throughout society. We not only use water carefully, purify it, and return it to nature, but also contribute to the healthy circulation of water in nature, such as by protecting the forests that nurture it. This is what we mean by "water sustainability,” which is essential for the continuity of our business activities.
Since joining Suntory, I have been studying water resources as a researcher at the Institute for Water Science for about 20 years. Suntory Group formulated the Sustainable Water Philosophy, which contains a section on understanding the natural cycle of water. This represents the very mission of the Institute for Water Science, where I have many years of experience, and is a concept that we deeply value.

Understanding and Protecting Water: The Key Lies in Knowing the Water Cycle

The water cycle is the process of water circulating in nature: it falls as rain, flows into rivers, pours into the ocean, evaporates, turns into clouds, and then turns into rain again, returning to the earth. We visit the water resource areas surrounding our production plants, walk through the forest to observe, and collect water samples to closely examine how the water circulates. Using the information gathered through these grassroots efforts, we examine how water flows from our plants upstream, how much water can be sustainably used without putting a strain on nature, and how we can achieve a healthier water cycle. We then use this information to protect the environment in and around these water resources.
Additionally, when Suntory plans the construction of a new plant, we also conduct surveys of water resources to determine where to build it and how to find new water resources. These surveys are like a health checkup for people. We collect information about the complex “body” of water resources in various ways to predict how much water is currently being used and the flow and volume of water not visible to the naked eye, such as groundwater.

When investigating water sources, we put boots on the ground to observe the area and gather information, then organize and analyze the data using a computer. Furthermore, by conducting simulations that assume changes in precipitation due to climate change, it is possible to predict future changes in the water cycle.

Establishing a New Company to Help Society Realize Water Sustainability

Suntory and many other manufacturers that use water resources face the challenges of how to sustain the use of existing water resources and how to find water resources when building a new plant.
I thought that the knowledge and know-how that Suntory Group has amassed until now could be utilized to solve these water-related challenges. Therefore, through FRONTIER DOJO*, an internal venture program that supports employees in taking on the challenge of creating new businesses, I worked on commercializing a service related to water resources, based on the achievements I had accumulated over the past 20 years as a researcher at the Institute for Water Science.
As part of this, we began offering to our client companies a trial service which visualizes groundwater by conducting health checks of water resources. This yielded positive results. In particular, there was a strong need to understand the amount of water that can be used continuously within a company. I was confident that the technology and knowledge that Suntory Group had amassed over many years could empower water sustainability initiatives of our client companies.

This proposal was recognized as a new business through FRONTIER DOJO as it aligns with our corporate message, “Sustained by Nature and Water.” This led to the establishment of Water Scape Ltd. in April 2025. The company name is a combination of “water” and “landscape,” and embodies our desire to preserve scenery with water.

• *An in-house venture program in which employees come up with and submit ideas for new businesses, which are then fine-tuned through mentorships with external entrepreneurs.

Kawasaki giving a presentation for in-house program FRONTIER DOJO. Of the several projects selected from around 100 entries over the course of a year, only a few are ultimately “certified” to be launched as new businesses. "In the end, only about three or four projects are certified. I made it this far thanks to the support of everyone at the Institute," Kawasaki recalls.

Contributing to Realizing Watershed Communities Where People and Nature Live in Harmony

We may not be aware of this in our daily lives, but water is a finite and critical resource. In Japan, water is easily and readily available, but the country faces challenges such as disasters and rising water rates caused by aging water infrastructure, and the devastation of forests that replenish water resources due to caretaker shortages. In many parts of the world, environmental changes caused by global warming and other factors threaten the availability of water.
The mission of Water Scape Ltd. is “realizing watershed communities where people and nature live in harmony.” We will utilize the technology and knowledge from within Suntory Group to support the efforts of as many customers as possible around the world and contribute to water sustainability throughout society. We will continue to move forward with an unwavering commitment to create a society where nature and people can coexist, and to pass on waterscapes to future generations.