2026 Volume 64 Issue 2 Pages 66-71
This study examines the relationship between sustainable finance commitments and agricultural lending among 417 Japanese regional financial institutions. The research uses Tobit regression to identify a clear functional differentiation: credit cooperatives lead in direct lending, whereas local banks focus on non-financial SF support. Significantly, the results demonstrate that commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 12 (“Responsible Consumption and Production”) positively influences agricultural loan shares, even after controlling for regional agricultural scale. This finding indicates that SF strategies act as proactive mechanisms rather than passive responses to local environments. Moreover, the results suggest that SF goals provide a framework for enhancing business-based evaluation and mitigating information asymmetry inherent in agricultural finance. Consequently, SF commitments serve as a strategic “lens,” helping institutions identify sustainable farm businesses and facilitate credit allocation within a niche sector traditionally perceived as high-risk.
