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J-Bridge Platform U.S. Launch Event; Carbon Neutrality and Hydrogen Seminar to Be Held

September 6, 2021

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will hold a "J-Bridge Carbon Neutrality and Hydrogen Seminar" together with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) on September 10. It will be part of the program in the U.S. by the "Japan Innovation Bridge," (commonly called "J-Bridge"), a platform designed to facilitate collaborations between foreign and Japanese companies in the field of carbon neutrality. Speakers at this seminar will include Minister Kajiyama, Ms. Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Japanese companies making progressive efforts toward achieving a hydrogen society, promising American companies with innovative technologies, and so on.

1. Overview

In October 2020, Prime Minister Suga announced the goal of achieving a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society by 2050, and METI led the initiative to formulate a "Green Growth Strategy Through Achieving Carbon Neutrality in 2050." Strengthening international collaboration with European and American companies in the field of carbon neutrality is featured in the Strategy.
 
In April this year, the U.S. and Japanese governments made a commitment to "Japan-U.S. Climate Partnership on Ambition, Decarbonization, and Clean Energy," and agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in order to lead climate action of the international community.
 
Against this background, METI and JETRO will hold the J-Bridge Carbon Neutrality and Hydrogen Seminar in connection to the program's launch in the U.S. by J-Bridge,* a business platform designed to facilitate collaborations between foreign and Japanese companies. The seminar will focus on hydrogen, a key technology for achieving carbon neutrality that is expected to be used in a wide range of fields, including power generation, industry, and transportation. The seminar will provide policy explanations by both countries' governments, lectures and dialogs by Japanese and American companies that jointly undertake leading efforts, and pitches by promising American companies with innovative technologies.
 
* About J-Bridge
  • J-Bridge was launched in February 2021 as a business platform to create open innovation by supporting collaborations and M&As between Japanese companies and foreign ones such as businesses in the U.S. and Europe that have advanced technologies in the carbon neutrality field, and startups in Asia that are experiencing significant growth, particularly in the digital field.
  • Operated by JETRO, the platform has six priority fields (carbon neutrality, mobility, smart cities, healthcare, retail, and agritech), and coordinators in cities both in Japan and overseas. It provides J-Bridge member companies with information on promising startups, etc. in the target countries and regions' priority fields, and hands-on assistance from individual interview support to forming projects.
  • In the U.S., the platform will begin providing support in the carbon neutrality field using JETRO New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles as bases.

2. Outline of the event

Date:

September 10, 2021 9:00-11:00 (U.S. West Coast: September 9, from 17:00, East Coast: September 9, from 20:00)

Format:

Online

Organizers:

METI, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

Languages:

Japanese/English (simultaneous interpretation)

Program

(1) Opening remarks (9:00-9:10)

(2) Part 1: Hydrogen policies of Japan and the U.S. and the efforts of Japanese and American companies

(i) Keynote speech: "Japan’s vision and actions toward hydrogen-based economy" (9:10-9:20)

Mr. Kihara Shinichi, Deputy Commissioner for International Affairs, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Japan

(ii) Keynote speech: "Overview of U.S.’s hydrogen policies" (9:20-9:30)

Ms. Elizabeth Urbanas, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia and the Americas,  Department of Energy, United States of America

(iii) Keynote speeches and dialog by Japanese and U.S. companies (9:30-9:55)

(3) About J-Bridge (9:55-9:58)

Ms. Kawada Mio, Director-General, Invest Japan Department, JETRO

(4) Part 2: Toward a partnership in the hydrogen business

(i) Business development of new decarbonization technologies through cooperation between Japanese and U.S. companies (in a dialog format)(9:58-10:13)
(ii) Pitches by U.S. companies to Japanese companies(10:13-10:41)

(5) Q&A session (10:41-10:55)

(6) Closing remarks (10:55-11:00)

Mr. Sasaki Nobuhiko, Chairman and CEO, JETRO

3. How to participate

If you wish to participate, please refer to this URL(in Japanese) for more information.

4. About press coverage

If you are a member of the press and wish to cover the event, please contact the following by email or phone.

<Contact for press coverage>

JETRO DX Promotion Team
     Phone: 03-3582-5644 (Direct)
     Email: DXPT@jetro.go.jpメールリンク