7th Meeting of Hydrogen Working Group

The Japanese-German Energy Partnership convened its 7th Hydrogen Working Group (WG2) Meeting on 17 September 2025 at the German Embassy in Tokyo, marking another significant step forward in bilateral energy transition cooperation.

Co-Chairs of the Working Group, Mr. Daisuke Hirota (METI, Japan), Mr. Noriya Udagawa (METI, Japan) and Ms. Christine Falken-Großer (BMWE, Germany), engaged in an in-depth exchange on current energy and hydrogen policy developments. Germany shared insights from its latest “Energiewende-Monitoring” and the new goverment's policy directions. Japan, meanwhile, underscored its ongoing commitment to hydrogen, referencing the successful Hydrogen Energy Ministerial (HEM) in Osaka and the deepening focus on CfD projects and resilient supply chains.

Discussions delved into the financing mechanisms for hydrogen, with both sides recognising similar challenges in stimulating demand and managing costs. The meeting also addressed coordination in multilateral forums, including COP and IMO regulations, and explored opportunities for intensifying the bilateral hydrogen collaboration in the future. Both sides agreed on the importance of facilitating stakeholder exchanges, particularly in hydrogen safety, and identified next steps to foster closer cooperation between regulatory and certification bodies.

This working group meeting once again demonstrated the shared commitment of Japan and Germany to advancing hydrogen technologies and accelerating the energy transition through collaborative dialogue, knowledge sharing, and strategic alignment.