The 2022 Japan Currents Houston Conference was held on Tuesday, March 22. This virtual edition of the Japan Currents Houston Conference marked JASH’s 7th year of bringing together experts from Japan and the U.S. to examine the Japan-America alliance and its impact on Harris County and Texas.
Japan has come to be regarded as a global leader in innovating, researching and producing clean hydrogen. Efforts to mainstream hydrogen as a clean-energy solution were trumpeted at the Tokyo Olympic Games, where hydrogen fueled the flame in the Olympic cauldron, helped power the Olympic Village, and propelled vehicles ferrying athletes, organizers and media. In addition, Japan recently launched the world’s first transport of liquefied hydrogen aboard the world’s first liquefied hydrogen carrier, the Suiso Frontier, carrying a shipment from Victoria, Australia to Kobe, Japan.
In 2017, Japan unveiled its “Basic Hydrogen Strategy,” becoming the first country to adopt a national hydrogen framework. The importance of hydrogen was reaffirmed in Japan’s “Green Growth Strategy” released in 2020, and in 2021, the government has doubled down on hydrogen adding specific action plans to priority sectors.
Eiji OHIRA of NEDO, Japan’s New Energy & Industrial Technology Development Organization, provided insight into Japan’s government policy on hydrogen. Joe CAPPELLO, Chairman and CEO of Iwatani Corporation of America, provided insight into Japanese corporate strategy as it relates to hydrogen and demonstrated how Japanese industry is leading efforts to scale-up hydrogen use.
The discussion that followed was moderated by Dr. Alan ROSSITER, Executive Director, External Relations/Educational Program Development of UH Energy, which is home to “The Hydrogen Economy,” a SED Silver Belt Program for industry leaders. Rossiter, Ohira and Cappello touched on the challenges of hydrogen demand creation, the prospects for U.S.-Japan bilateral collaboration on furthering hydrogen use and what the next 10 years hold for the global hydrogen market.
During and after the presentations and discussions, it was agreed that the largest potential for U.S.-Japan cooperation lies in generating standards and protocols for hydrogen utilization.
Please thanks go to the National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS) and the Embassy of Japan for making this program possible.
PRESENTATIONS
Eiji OHIRA*
Director General, Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Office, NEDO (The New Energy & Industrial Technology Development Organization), Japan)
How to Realize Hydrogen-Based Society: Japan’s Perspective
Joe CAPPELLO*
Chairman and CEO, Iwatani Corporation of America
Introduction to Iwatani Corporation of America & Update on H2 Trends in California
*View bios [HERE]
MODERATOR
Alan ROSSITER, PhD*
Executive Director, External Relations & Educational Program Development, UH Energy - University of Houston
PARTNERS:
This program is presented in partnership with UH Energy.
SPONSORS
This conference, made possible with support from The Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C. and the National Association of Japan America Societies (NAJAS), provides the Houston-Harris County community with the opportunity to explore impact of U.S-Japan energy partnerships on our area.
