Japan’s ClassNK has issued its first certificate under a new sustainable aviation fuel certification scheme. The move marks full-scale operations for the framework. ClassNK calls it Asia’s first SAF certification scheme approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The certificate went to Mokkanomori Co, a lumber producer. It belongs to the Sumitomo Forestry group. Mokkanomori works with woody biomass. It runs a lumber business built around reusing sawing residues instead of wasting them. Nippon Kaiji Kentei QA Co issued the certificate. That company is the certification body behind the scheme.
The scheme is known as ClassNK SCS. It won ICAO approval in October 2024 and began operating in August 2025. It is only the third scheme of its kind approved worldwide, and the first in Asia. Until now, Japanese SAF businesses seeking ICAO-approved certification relied mainly on overseas schemes.
The certification ties into CORSIA, ICAO’s carbon offsetting program for aviation. SAF can cut emissions significantly compared with conventional jet fuel. But to count under CORSIA, every operator in a SAF supply chain must be certified. That covers everything from feedstock to blending.
Certification bodies under the system verify sustainability practices across that chain. They issue supporting documentation. ClassNK said it is accepting applications on an ongoing basis.
The organization plans to expand its network of certification bodies. The goal is to build SAF certification infrastructure across Japan and the wider Asian region. That work aims to support international supply chains and grow SAF availability for aviation decarbonization.
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