Hydrogen Safety Portal Website Launched

1. Outline of the Hydrogen Safety Strategy

The internal and external environments surrounding Japan's hydrogen safety is changing drastically, with demands for response to climate change issues, advances in hydrogen utilization technology, the integration of different types of businesses, the involvement of various actors, demands for safe use, and other issues.

Against this backdrop, the Study Group of a Hydrogen Safety Strategy (Chaired by Professor Miyake Atsumi, Executive Director and Vice President of Yokohama National University) was launched in August 2022. Since then, the group has held six discussions to build an environment that facilitates the use of hydrogen with a view toward creating a hydrogen society in each step of the hydrogen supply chain, including i) organizing current situations of and issues on hydrogen safety regulations; and ii) rationalizing and optimizing regulations on the use of hydrogen with the premise of ensuring safety. The results of the discussions were compiled in an interim report and METI released it in March 2023.

2. Three action policies and nine concrete means under the strategy

For establishing a rational safety regulation system for the large-scale use of hydrogen ahead of the rest of the world, the strategy sets out—as a set of action policies for the public and private sectors over the next five to ten years—broad directions and visions that the public and private sectors should achieve as ideal approaches and goals that they will aim at looking toward 2050. It also upholds three action policies and nine concrete means that Japan should tackle. Details of the policies and means are as follows:

Action policy 1: Efforts based on scientific data and evidence through technological development

Mean 1: Strategic acquisition of scientific data and sharing of data related to shared areas
Mean 2: Realization of a smooth experimental and demonstration environment

Action policy 2: Rationalization and optimization of rules for the gradual implementation of a hydrogen society

Mean 3: Approach to priority areas in the supply chain
Mean 4: Clarify the future pathway
Mean 5: Building and developing third party certification and inspection bodies
Mean 6: Collaboration with local governments

Action policy 3: Building a hydrogen utilization environment

Mean 7: Risk communication
Mean 8: Human resource development
Mean 9: Efforts to grasp trends in other countries, harmonize regulations, and establish international standards

3. Outline of the Hydrogen Safety Portal Website

On June 30, 2023, METI launched a one-stop portal website that provides well-organized information on hydrogen safety.

METI will develop a variety of content about hydrogen safety on this website, including a one-stop introduction of laws and regulations applicable to the respective uses of hydrogen and a contact office in charge of such laws and regulations (including a contact office for licensing), as well as case examples of the use of existing systems.

Related Links

• Link to the portal website
• Interim Report for the Hydrogen Safety Strategy Released (March 13, 2023)

Division in Charge

Industrial Safety Division, Industrial and Product Safety Policy Group