The EU-Japan Centre is pleased to start a new weekly service by publishing brief summary of the latest information from the Japanese governmental organizations & private companies/organizations. A couple of minutes reading to be informed about what is happening in Japan's policy, economy, EU-Japan relations, and innovation.

*Information is deemed correct at the time of release. 

JAPANESE INDUSTRY AND POLICY NEWS

METI Minster Nishimura signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on hydrogen with Commissioner Simson of the European Commission
On December 2, 2022, Mr. Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on hydrogen with Mr. Simson, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission, to further develop cooperation in the field of hydrogen. By this memorandum, they exchange information on hydrogen policies, regulations, incentives, etc., and cooperate on international hydrogen trade, and also agreed to cooperate for the development of a hydrogen society. Cooperation in the field of hydrogen is already progressing between Japan and Europe, and it is hoped that the signing of this agreement will further promote cooperation. In addition, Minister Nishimura explained about efforts to release safe ALPS-treated water into the sea in relation to the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and lobbied for the early removal of import restrictions on Japanese food products caused by the nuclear power plant accident that the EU is taking.

METI website (in Japanese): https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2022/12/20221202004/20221202004.html

Japan and UK launch digital partnership
On December 7, METI announced, it together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Digital Agency, held a top-level meeting with the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and launched of a UK-Japan digital partnership at the ministerial level. The UK-Japan Digital Partnership builds on the work of the UK-Japan Digital Group, which was established in May 2022, to address UK-Japan digital priorities at an even higher level. Based on this partnership, the two countries will hold regular political-level meetings to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

METI website: https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2022/12/20221207002/20221207002-1.pdf

JOGMEC and the Government of Western Australia signed a MOU on natural resources, CCS and CCUS
Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the State of Western Australia (WA Stat) to strengthen the cooperation in the field of energy resources including oil, gas, hydrogen and ammonia, CCS and CCUS in general, on December 7, 2022. Under the MOU, JOGMEC will actively not only exchange information and views on oil, gas, hydrogen, ammonia, methanation, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) but also seek opportunities for Japanese business to work with the WA State in the future.

JOGMEC website: https://www.jogmec.go.jp/english/news/release/news_10_00022.html

Japan-U.S. Energy Security Dialogue held 
On December 1, the Japan-U.S. Energy Security Dialogue was held between Mr. Minami Ryo, Deputy Commissioner for International Policy on Carbon Neutrality, and Mr. Geoffrey Pyatt, Assistant Secretary of State of the United States, who was visiting Japan.The dialog was proposed by Assistant Secretary Pyatt and established as a forum to discuss energy security in Japan and the US. At the dialog, the two sides confirmed efforts by both Japan and the US and discussed future cooperation regarding energy security, the clean energy transition, the development of decarbonization technologies in other countries, as well as other topics based on the current energy situation. They also confirmed that the two countries will cooperate toward next year's G7.

METI website: https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2022/1201_001.html

Decision to Impose Anti-Dumping Duties on Hot-dipped Galvanized Steel Wire Originating in the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China
On December 2, the Cabinet of Japanese government enacted a Cabinet Order relating to anti-dumping duties on hot-dipped galvanized steel wire originating in the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) started an investigation on June 14, 2021, to determine the necessity of imposing an anti-dumping duty on hot-dipped galvanized steel wire originating in the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China. On November 24, 2022, considering the results of the investigation, the Council on Customs, Tariff, Foreign Exchange and Other Transactions (the Trade Remedy Subcommittee, the Customs and Tariff Committee) reported that it would be appropriate to impose anti-dumping duties on for five years (The rates of the anti-dumping duties: 9.8% - 41.7%).
*Note: Excluding the regions of Hong Kong and Macao.

METI website: https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2022/1202_001.html

IHI receives order for world's largest methanation equipment, reuses 24 tons of CO2 per day
HI and group company IHI Plant announced on December 1 that they had received an order for methanation equipment from JFE Steel. From the exhaust gas of the test blast furnace, 24 tons of CO2 will be recycled per day and 500 Nm³ of methane per hour will be produced. At the time of the announcement, it has the world's largest manufacturing capacity for methanation equipment. Methanation is a carbon recycling technology that produces synthetic methane through the catalytic reaction of CO2 and H2. Synthetic methane can be produced from CO2 emitted at a business site and used as an alternative fuel to natural gas on-site, or can be injected into city gas pipelines and used at other business sites or in general households. Existing city gas infrastructure can be used, and methanation is expected to be one of the key technologies for achieving carbon neutrality.

IHI website (in Japanese): https://www.ihi.co.jp/ihi/all_news/2022/resources_energy_environment/1198112_3473.html

NEC and JERA start demonstrating electric power market transactions　
NEC announced on December 1 that jointly with JERA, it has started a demonstration project for electricity market trading that utilizes demand response (DR), which controls electricity demand on the consumer side. Utilizing the solar power generation and storage batteries owned by NEC, they will verify the business feasibility at the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX). For the solar power generation facility (3200 kW) and storage battery (500 kW) to be installed at the Abiko Demonstration Center, NEC will use NEC's AI to make predictions that take into account event information and weather information that affect power demand, and it automatically controls the demand amount considering the characteristics of the equipment and the characteristics of the installation location. From December 1, JERA starts trading the surplus electricity generated by this on JEPX.

NEC website (in Japanese): https://jpn.nec.com/press/202212/20221201_02.html

EPA application procedures for fruits and vegetables have been simplified
On December 6, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries simplified the procedures for using certificates of origin based on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) in order to promote the export of fruits and vegetables. In order to export Japanese products using the EPA, the exporter submits documents to the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry to clarify that the exported product is an originating product based on the agreement, and receives an originating product determination. It needs to apply for issuance of a Class 1 Specified Certificate of Origin. In the future, based on requests from business operators, when determining originating products using invoices, etc., producers who have been required submission of information is no longer required.

METI website: https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2022/12/20221206005/20221206005.html

Developed a shopping bag that fish dislike, and added a bitter ingredient
Mitsubishi Chemical Group, KIRACS and Shimojima announced on December 5 that they jointly developed a plastic shopping bag using plant-derived biodegradable resin compound "FORZEAS" and the ingredient "denatonium benzoate" that gives fish a bitter taste. FORZEA is a compound that uses the Mitsubishi Chemical Group's plant-derived biodegradable resin "BioPBS," which is decomposed into water and CO2 by microorganisms in nature. Denatonium benzoate is an organic compound that gives a strong bitter taste to humans and fish, and it is expected to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion by marine organisms.

KIRACS website (in Japanese): https://www.kiracs.co.jp/news/2022-12-05/

Imec and Rapidus sign Memorandum of cooperation to collaborate on advanced semiconductor technologies
Today, in Tokyo, Japan, imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, and Rapidus, a newly founded semiconductor company in Japan, have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC). Under the agreement, imec and Rapidus intend to set up a long-term and sustainable collaboration on advanced semiconductor technologies. The MOC is endorsed by the Government of Flanders and METI who thereby confirm their commitment to strengthen the collaboration of the semiconductor industry in Japan and Flanders.

IMEC website: https://www.imec-int.com/en/press/imec-and-rapidus-sign-memorandum-cooperation-collaborate-advanced-semiconductor-technologies