Japan

The EU and Japan’s well-developed energy relations were strengthened through a Green Alliance signed in 2021, a true milestone in our efforts to create a global coalition for net zero emissions by mid-century. Both sides regularly discuss topics like energy security and liquefied natural gas (LNG), the clean energy transition, hydrogen, electricity market design, energy technologies and nuclear energy. 

As 2 of the largest global importers of LNG, the EU and Japan agreed, in July 2023, to establish an energy security dialogue on global LNG architecture. It aims to step-up cooperation and develop secure and transparent global markets, while reducing methane emissions in line with the Global Methane Pledge. In October 2024, Japan and the EU announced their LNG importers’ initiative alliance for methane mitigation from the LNG value chain at the LNG-Producer Consumer Conference.

Events and meetings

In 2023, bilateral relations were prominently focused on the agenda of the EU-Japan Summit, where leaders agreed to step-up joint work on the energy and green transitions and welcomed the Memorandum of Cooperation on Hydrogen, signed on 2 December 2022 by Commissioner Simson during her visit to Japan.

Several EU-Japan workshops were organised over the past years too. For example, on hydrogen and wind energy and to implement the Memorandum of Cooperation in 2017, the Commission and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry co-organised a series of international workshops on key drivers.

Memorandum of Cooperation

On 2 December 2022, the EU and Japan intensified their cooperation on hydrogen with the signature of a Memorandum of Cooperation to spur innovation and develop an international hydrogen market. As frontrunners in hydrogen technology, the EU and Japan are working together to support the sustainable and affordable production, trade, transport, storage, distribution and use of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.

• Statement: Joint Press Statement by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ken Saito and the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson (3/6/2024)
• News: EU and Japan to reinforce energy cooperation through a dedicated dialogue on global LNG architecture (18/7/2023)
• News: The EU and Japan underline close cooperation on energy issues (25/03/2022)
• Liquefied Natural Gas
• EU-Japan relations (European External Action Service)
• Delegation of the EU to Japan