At Cadira Capital Management, we believe companies that integrate environmental impact with business development are positioned to deliver both societal value and long-term growth. Weathernews Inc. exemplifies this approach.
Once known primarily as a weather forecaster, Weathernews has become a provider of climate solutions—helping clients reduce emissions, cut waste, and build resilience against extreme weather. Its services already contribute to 3.87 million tons of CO₂ reductions annually, with a goal of achieving 38 million tons per year by 2030—equivalent to 6% of Japan’s national reduction target. At the same time, the company helps businesses adapt to climate risks like typhoons and floods, offering both mitigation and adaptation solutions in one integrated model.
Company Overview
Weathernews Inc. is a private weather information service company established in June 1986. The company was founded by Hiroyoshi Ishibashi, who began offering marine weather services after a client’s ship sank during a storm while he was working at a trading company—an experience that inspired him to protect the lives of seafarers. His successor, Chihito Kusabiraki, served as president for nearly 20 years after assuming the role in 2006. In June 2024, Tomohiro Ishibashi, the founder’s son, was appointed president. After graduating from university, Mr. Ishibashi joined Hewlett-Packard and later entered Weathernews in 2000, where he oversaw the consumer business and worked overseas in the U.S. before taking on the leadership role.
Weathernews provides weather-related risk management and operational support services to industries such as logistics, transportation, and energy. For individual users, it offers weather forecast content under the service name “Weathernews” via video streaming and a smartphone app. The app features a participatory, interactive network where users can post weather updates from their location, including photos and comments, helping to enhance the accuracy of forecasts.
In the fiscal year ended May 2024, consolidated net sales were approximately ¥22.2 billion, with a nearly even split between corporate (53%) and consumer (47%) revenue. The company operates 30 offices in 21 countries, collecting, analyzing, and forecasting a wide range of weather and oceanographic data around the clock, 365 days a year. In Japan, it operates a proprietary weather observation network with 13,000 locations—ten times the number of observation points managed by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
From Weather Forecasting to Climate Solutions
In recent years, Weathernews has signaled a strategic shift from weather forecasting to providing broader climate solutions. Traditionally, the company has offered route optimization services for ships, considering both safety and fuel consumption. While these services were initially valued for their cost-saving potential, they are now increasingly recognized for their contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, reflecting rising environmental awareness among client companies.
Beyond the shipping industry, Weathernews offers services to electric utilities to optimize reserve power through demand forecasting and to retail companies to reduce waste losses through order optimization. According to the company’s own disclosure, the total CO₂ reduction from these services amounts to 3.87 million tons annually. Weathernews has set a target to reduce 38 million tons of CO₂ per year globally by 2030—equivalent to 6% of Japan’s national CO₂ reduction target for that year.
The company also provides solutions to help businesses mitigate physical risks from climate change, such as typhoons and floods. These services include analyzing climate patterns to assess risks, estimating potential financial impacts from events like operational shutdowns due to flooding, and supporting daily weather monitoring to help companies avoid such disruptions.
A distinguishing feature of Weathernews is its dual capability to offer solutions for both climate change mitigation and adaptation. This dual approach highlights the company’s potential for further business growth.
Cadira's Engagement Activities
Cadira has been engaging with Weathernews on an ongoing basis. In July 2024, we met with newly appointed President Ishibashi to discuss the company’s management strategy under the new leadership. The company collects an average of 200,000 user-submitted weather updates per day via its consumer app, building a unique, community-based information network. President Ishibashi explained plans to apply this community management expertise to the corporate business as well, by gathering user data to further enhance weather information services. He also shared the company’s intention to develop more affordable services to support small and medium-sized enterprises, such as retail stores—expanding beyond its traditional large infrastructure client base.
In June 2025, Cadira held a meeting with Executive Officer Abe, who oversees sustainability at Weathernews. This dialogue focused on the company’s climate solutions and broader sustainability efforts. The meeting was conducted as a collaborative engagement, with multiple institutional investors invited by Cadira. Participating investors raised a wide range of questions regarding technology development, service direction, and global business potential. During the discussion, Mr. Abe noted that, unlike in developed countries, the private weather information industry in emerging markets often lacks established regulations. He stated that the company intends to collaborate with international organizations such as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to contribute to regulatory development in these regions.
Cadira highly values Weathernews as a company with both a strong track record and an innovative approach in the weather and climate space. Under the new leadership, we are encouraged by the company's commitment to integrating environmental impact with business development, and we intend to continue our engagement going forward.
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