Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting and AZEC Public-Private Investment Forum Held

1. Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting

Minister Nishimura chaired the ministerial meeting, during which he made remarks on the importance of decarbonization in Asia, the concept of Asia Zero Emission Community and concrete efforts by Japan. Mr. Nishimura Akihiro, Minister of Environment, and participants from various countries and international organizations made remarks on views toward decarbonization and their expectations for AZEC, and other topics. In addition, Prime Minister Kishida who advocated the AZEC concept gave a video message. In addition, the participants launched  AZEC as a platform and agreed to AZEC joint statement including the three following common views: 

(1) Advancing cooperation towards carbon neutrality/net-zero emissions while ensuring energy security, 
(2) Promoting energy transition while achieving economic growth, and
(3) Recognizing there are various and practical pathways toward carbon neutrality/net-zero emissions depending on the circumstances of each country. 

After the ministerial meeting, Minister Nishimura issued ”Chair's Summary”  that reflects the comments and opinions expressed in the ministerial meeting under his responsibility as the Chair.

2. AZEC Public-Private Investment Forum

During the Public-Private Investment Forum, ministers and representatives of state-owned companies in Asia explained their efforts toward decarbonization and expectations for cooperating with Japan. Nine Japanese companies explained their technologies and efforts toward decarbonization and Japanese government agencies and other organizations explained their related support measures and other topics. In conjunction with the forum, 28 MOUs were newly announced covering a wide range of fields related to decarbonization including renewable energy, biomass, hydrogen, and LNG.

3. Meeting between Minister Nishimura and H.E. Dr. Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam

Minister Nishimura and Deputy Prime Minister Ha, who was visiting Japan as a senior official from the Vietnamese government for the first time in the 50th anniversary of Japan-Vietnam diplomatic relations, agreed that both countries will collaborate and cooperate further in decarbonization efforts in Asia on the AZEC platform.

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4. Meeting between Minister Nishimura, Y.B. Tuan Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli, Minister of Economy, Malaysia, and YM Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Kamadjaja Aziz, President & Group CEO of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS)

All three confirmed that both countries will collaborate under AZEC toward decarbonization in Asia and exchanged views on ensuring stable supplies of LNG, support for formulating a roadmap toward carbon neutrality in Malaysia, and energy cooperation measures regarding fuel ammonia, CCS, and other areas that can contribute to decarbonization in both countries.

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5. Meeting between Minister Nishimura and Hon. Raphael P. M. Lotilla, Secretary of Energy, the Philippines

Both sides welcomed the cooperation between companies from both countries in LNG, fuel ammonia, and other fields, and they confirmed the importance of promoting decarbonization efforts depending on each country's circumstance, and of renewable energy toward carbon neutrality. 

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6. Meeting with H.E. Supattanapong Punmeechaow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Thailand

Both sides discussed support for formulating Thailand's National Energy Plan and cooperation based on the MOU on LNG signed last November. In addition, the two ministers signed a new MOC on technical cooperation in CCUS. In addition, they agreed that “ASEAN-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event in Thailand” will be held jointly by METI, JETRO, PTT Public Company Limited (PTT Group), the Thailand Board of Investment  and Ministry of Energy of Thailand, in the capital city Bangkok as early as possible in order to promote the creation of open innovation through collaboration between startups and large companies from both ASEAN and Japan.

Reference Release: METI will hold the “ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Initiative” in Bangkok, Thailand to accelerate global open innovation of Japanese companies/startups (March 6, 2023)

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7. Meeting between Minister Nishimura and H.E. Arifin Tasrif, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia

The two ministers welcomed the creation of many bilateral projects involving renewable energy, fuel ammonia, natural gas, and other areas. They also agreed to check the progress of each project and continue to communicate with each other.

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8. Meeting between Minister Nishimura and H.E. Kim Yong Gan, Minister of Trade and Industry, Singapore

The two ministers welcomed the cooperation between companies in both countries in the fields of hydrogen and ammonia, confirmed the importance of LNG as a transition fuel, and agreed to strengthen cooperation in establishing supply chains for a wide range of energy fields. They also discussed how finance should be used to help achieve carbon neutrality in Asia. 

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9. Meeting between State Minister Nakatani and Hon. Jenny McAllister, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Australia 

State Minister Nakatani asked for an understanding regarding ensuring a stable supply of LNG and coal, and discussed cooperating on the AZEC concept and in clean energy fields, including hydrogen, synthetic methane, ammonia, and CCUS.

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(Hydrogen supply chain to be advanced between Australia and Japan)
With the substantial support of the Japanese government, Japan’s first hydrogen supply chain will be established, linking Victoria, Australia with the major industrial hub of Kawasaki, Japan.
On March 3, 2023, the Japanese developers agreed to proceed with project, and a memorandum of understanding was signed for this purpose between Japan Suiso Energy, Ltd., Iwatani Corporation, Electric Power Development Co. Ltd., and Sumitomo Corporation with the presence of Minister Nishimura, Mr. Hiroaki Ishizuka, Chairman of NEDO, Hon. Jenny McAllister, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy of Australia, Hon. Justin Hayhurst, Australian Ambassador to Japan, and Hon. Tim Pallas, Treasurer of Victoria.

10. Meeting between State Minister Nakatani and H.E. Sinava Souphanouvong, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines, Laos

Both sides discussed cooperation in clean energy fields, including the production of green hydrogen and ammonia, in order to accelerate future considerations.

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11. Meeting between Parliamentary Vice-Minister Satomi and Mr. Darmawan Prasodjo, President Director of PT PLN

Both sides expressed their expectations for the strengthening of bilateral relations based on AZEC, and discussed financing based on the MOU with NEXI and joint projects with Japanese companies.

 

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12. Meeting between Parliamentary Vice-Minister Satomi and Mr. Le Ngoc Son, Vice President of PVN

Vice President Son expressed his gratitude for JOGMEC's support, and both sides discussed future cooperation and collaboration with Japanese companies.

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Related Materials

• Asia Zero Emission Community Joint Statement(PDF:110KB)
• Chair’s summary (Asia Zero Emission Community Ministerial Meeting)(PDF:52KB)
• List of MOUs(PDF:2,967KB)

Related Link

• Prime Minister's Message (in Japanese)

Division in Charge

International Affairs Division, Commissioner's Secretariat, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy