Monthly Japanese Industry and Policy News December 2023 Issue Available Now

The EU-Japan Centre’s office in Tokyo is regularly publishing "Industry and Policy News”. By screening various Japanese language sources of potential interest, including newly released policy documents, surveys, and official statements, this newsletter aims to provide information in the context of EU-Japan industrial cooperation. The topics of the December 2023 issue are as follows.

The Centre is also publishing on a weekly basis. The weekly releases are available on the following website with a new issue every Friday https://www.eu-japan.eu/news.                                                                                                    

This news was compiled by “Weekly Japanese Industry and Policy News”.

Legislation and Policy News
-    G7 Digital and Technology Ministers Meeting held
-    Japan receives criticism outside COP28
-    Japan-France summit meeting announces new roadmap
-    US Nvidia to establish research base in Japan
-    METI revised list of foreign users with concerns about developing weapons of mass destruction
-    Japanese and Norwegian leaders confirm cooperation on decarbonization
-    MOE Minister announced support package for Asia at COP28 
-    Following the next fighter jet, Japan and Italy cooperate on semiconductors and AI
-    Japan-ASEAN Special Summit Meeting agrees on promoting security cooperation, including maritime issues
-    Japan, UK and Italy sign treaty with fighter jets
-    Government's GX Implementation Council supports JP¥ 13 trillion to 16 fields including hydrogen 
-    Asian Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Summit held
-    WTO releases co-chairman's statement on e-commerce negotiations
-    METI compiles sector-specific investment strategies to realize green transformation
-    Government revises rules to increase exports of defense equipment
-    Flying base stations (HAPS) will be put into practical use in 2025
-    Japan and Saudi Arabia agree to jointly invest in important minerals

Survey and Business Data
-    India ranks first as a promising destination for Japanese manufacturers for the second consecutive year
-    Global digital industry market hits record high in 2024 due to spread of generative AI

Company & Organization News
-    Sekisui Chemical enters into business partnership with Circularise, a Dutch resource circulation traceability system company
-    Idemitsu Kosan procures synthetic methanol from Chile's HIF Group
-    Softbank acquires Irish company for ￥5 billion 
-    Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and UAE's ADNOC reach agreement to build blue ammonia and blue hydrogen value chain
-    Marubeni to produce green ammonia in Oman, 1 million tons in 2029
-    Itochu and Osaka Gas invest in world's leading hydrogen company
-    Toyota accelerates realization of circular economy
-    Rakuten's mobile infrastructure is in operation in Germany
-    JCI makes recommendations to the government regarding carbon pricing
-    Itochu participates in South Africa's Hive's green ammonia production business
-    Singaporean company invests in Japan with large storage batteries
-    Hydropower development in Mozambique with French company, Sumitomo Corporation
-    Nippon Steel acquires US Steel for $14.1 billion 
-    "Setouchi-Shikoku CO2 Hub Concept" launched - Five companies including Sumitomo Corporation and Australian companies collaborate
-    IHI begins hydrogen production experiment using natural gas pyrolysis