Topics covered on the January 2023 issue:

・This was compiled by “Weekly Japanese Industrial and Policy News”.

Legislation and Policy News
-    METI signs Memorandum of Cooperation with U.S. on human rights in supply chains 
-    METI and U.S. government release joint statement on energy security and clean energy transition
-    Japan and the United States conclude framework agreement on space cooperation
-    EU and Japan sign Administrative Arrangement for promotion of mutual sharing and utilization of satellite data
-    Former Japan-EU Business Roundtable Co-Chair Sakuyama visits Prime Minister Kishida and presents a proposal
-    Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications signs Memorandum of Cooperation with Director General of National Telecommunications and Information Agency of the U.S.
-    Electric kickboard, no license required from July 1, can be ridden on "sidewalks" at speeds of 6 km/h or less
-    Trade ministers’ coalition meeting on climate change was held
-    The government aims to enact the GX promotion bill in the current Diet session

Survey and Business Data
-    Domestic new car sales in 2022 sluggish to the level of 50 years ago 4.2 million units, down 5.6% from the previous year
-    Corporate Goods Price Index rises 10.2% in December 2010, record high for the year
-    2022 trade deficit hits record high of JP¥ 19.9 trillion impacted by higher resource prices and weaker JP¥
-    Foreign visitors to Japan in 2022 was 3,831,900, the first increase in three years, but level of 10% to 2019

Company & Organization News
-    Sumitomo Forestry to construct a 7-story wooden office building in the United States
-    Sony-Honda launches sedan EV "AFEELA" in spring 2026
-    JFE Steel acquires blue credits for seaweed bed development project using steel slag products
-    Kuraray begins call for school bags donation to Afghanistan
-    Shimizu Corporation develops "Decarbonized" Soil Improvement Method
-    GE and IHI sign MoU to develop gas turbines that can operate on 100% ammonia
-    Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Total Energies of France succeeded in sea test of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
-    Four Companies announced joint feasibility study of large-scale and wide-area CCS value chain project using ship transportation
-    Mitsubishi Heavy Industries successfully launches H2A rocket equipped with information gathering satellite

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