Complaints cite grave violations of Indigenous Rights violations and escalating environmental harm
TOKYO, JP (July 17, 2025) – Indigenous leaders from the Wet’suwe’ten Nation in Canada have formally demanded the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Mitsubishi Corporation to immediately suspend all current and potential future financing LNG Canada Project due to significant violations of Indigenous rights, ongoing human rights abuses, and severe environmental harm.
Complaints were submitted this morning by Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks and Deputy Chief of the Hagwilget Village Council Gwii Lok’im Gibuu (Jesse Stoeppler).
The submissions detail how JBIC’s US$850 million financing, supported by major Japanese banks (Mizuho, MUFG, and SMBC) and Mitsubishi Corporation’s direct investment (15%), has enabled the construction of the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline without the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary governance, violating Canadian constitutional and international law.
“JBIC and Mitsubishi’s financing of LNG Canada has violated our sovereignty, human rights and fueled colonial violence against Indigenous land defenders while destroying sensitive ecosystems on our land,” said Chief Na’Moks. “After meeting with representatives of JBIC earlier this year, and amid growing calls for more projects without meaningful Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed Consent built in, we are taking this step to hold international financiers accountable for the realities of what they are financing.”
The complaint highlights systemic failures, including:
- Human Rights Abuses: Militarized raids by Canadian police, arbitrary arrests, and documented human rights violations against Indigenous land defenders opposing the pipeline as highlighted in the Canadian Screen Award winning documentary YINTAH.
- Environmental Violations: Coastal GasLink has been repeatedly fined for environmental violations, causing direct harm to sensitive ecosystems, including salmon-bearing rivers essential to Wet’suwet’en livelihoods and culture.
- Climate Impacts: The project contradicts international climate commitments, locking in significant greenhouse gas emissions for decades.
Wet’suwet’en leaders have engaged repeatedly with JBIC, Mitsubishi Corporation, and other financiers since 2021, including direct meetings in Tokyo, yet these institutions have continued supporting the project despite clear evidence of harm.
The complaint demands both JBIC and Mitsubishi:
- Immediately suspend further financing for the LNG Canada Project and planned expansion of the project (Phase 2).
- Conduct a comprehensive reassessment of environmental and human rights impacts.
- Engage directly with Wet’suwet’en hereditary leaders to establish legitimate pathways toward mitigation and accountability.
“Japan and its financial institutions have a duty to uphold international law,” added Deputy Chief Stoeppler. “That’s why we are calling on JBIC and Mitsubishi to uphold their legal, environmental, social and ethical responsibility and halt funding of LNG Canada and engage directly with Indigenous Nations.”
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A backgrounder is available in English and Japanese.
A copy of the complaints are available here.
For more information:
Kari Vierimaa
Vierimaa Consulting Inc.
kari@vierimaaconsulting.com