5th Meeting of the Hydrogen Working Group
On 17th December 2025, the 5th meeting of Working Group Two on hydrogen of the Japanese German Energy Partnership took place. The bilateral dialogue on hydrogen brought together key representatives from both countries, with Dr. Christine Falken-Großer (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy) and Noriya Udagawa (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) leading the discussions. The virtual meeting marked a significant milestone as the Energy Partnership welcomed a new Japanese Co-Chair.
Both sides shared valuable insights into their national hydrogen policy developments. Germany presented updates on its hydrogen core network and Import Strategy, published early this year. Japan highlighted its Hydrogen Society Promotion Act, which recently opened for applications, and its ambitious Hydrogen Hub Development Program, currently in development.
The discussions delved deep into crucial aspects of hydrogen infrastructure, including storage solutions and pipeline networks. A particular focus was also placed on innovative financing mechanisms, looking to the second round of Germany's H2Global auction system and to Japan's CfD-Mechanism and price gap subsidy approach.
These exchanges demonstrate the strong commitment of both countries to advancing sustainable energy solutions and underscore the importance of international cooperation in building a hydrogen-based economy.