In order for Japanese companies to move strategically towards sustainability, it is necessary to identify and understand the national and organizational factors that can hinder or facilitate this organizational shift. Literature reviews, workshops with a Japanese company, questionnaires, and interviews were conducted in order to identify these factors. The results showed that there are many common sustainability barriers between Japan and ‘western’ countries. In addition, there are some Distinctive Cultural Characteristics (DCCs) specific to Japan that have a significant impact on the success of an organization that wants to move towards sustainability. According to the findings, suggestions for sustainability practitioners are provided, which involve understanding the barriers and taking advantage of the DCCs in order to help the Japanese companies to move towards sustainability more effectively.