The AEON Environmental Foundation aims to address critical environmental issues including biodiversity loss by fostering conservation efforts that preserve local values and knowledge alongside developing and implementing original methodologies. This is in response to the disruption of traditional relationships between humans and nature due to past economic development and agricultural revolutions in Japan.
The Japan Awards for Biodiversity, established by the AEON Environmental Foundation in 2009, aim to recognize and honor significant contributions to biodiversity conservation in Japan. The awards are given to five projects every two years (in odd-numbered years) that have made outstanding contributions towards biodiversity. This initiative seeks to elevate the impact of conservation efforts by awarding a Grand Prix and four Excellence Awards to both organizations and individuals. The Grand Prix winner receives two million yen, while the recipients of the Excellence Awards each receive one million yen.