As part of its sustainability efforts for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 — to be held in Tokyo this September and expected to welcome over 2,000 athletes from 200 countries and regions — the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has launched a campaign to collect used cooking oil, such as tempura oil, from households. This oil will be used as a raw material for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The collected waste oil will be refined into SAF and used as aircraft fuel at Tokyo Haneda Airport.

What is SAF?

SAF stands for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, an alternative fuel made from non-petroleum sources that helps reduce emissions from air transportation. Unlike conventional jet fuel derived from fossil fuels, SAF is produced from sustainable raw materials such as used cooking oil. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), SAF has already been used at over 160 airports worldwide as of May 2025. Globally, the aviation sector accounts for about 2% of the world’s CO₂ emissions and approximately 12% of CO₂ emissions from the entire transportation sector. ICAO has set a global goal of capping net CO₂ emissions from international aviation at 2020 levels. The use of SAF is considered one of the most practical and effective ways to help achieve this goal.

How SAF is made

Used cooking oil collected from households and other sources is refined into SAF at Japan’s first large-scale SAF production facility, located in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. The refined SAF is then transported to domestic airports, where it is used as fuel for aircraft.

An Opportunity for Citizens to Contribute Directly to Decarbonization

Used cooking oil, such as tempura oil from home kitchens, is one of the key raw materials for SAF. By bringing in this household waste oil, individuals can directly contribute to the production of sustainable aviation fuel. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is promoting the collection of used cooking oil from households as a way to raise awareness and encourage behavior change toward achieving a carbon-neutral society.

Producing SAF from household waste oil also depends heavily on cooperation between local governments and private companies. Currently, a collaborative initiative called the ‘Fry to Fly Project’ has been launched with the goal of realizing a decarbonized society through resource circulation. Approximately 100 organizations, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, are participating in this effort.

With a population of 14 million, Tokyo has the greatest potential in Japan for collecting used cooking oil. Why not take part in this collection campaign yourself?

Further details can be found on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government website.