4th meeting of the Cooperation Committee

On 2 April 2025, the 4th Cooperation Committee Meeting of the Japanese German Energy Partnership took place. Led by Director General Shinichi Kihara (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and Director General Christian Maaß (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy), the outcomes and topics of the energy partnership since the last Cooperation Committee Meeting in November 2023 were summarized. Additionally, new activities for future collaboration in the working groups on the energy transition (WG1) and hydrogen (WG2) were jointly decided.

WG1 will continue the successful discussions and exchange formats on offshore wind and energy efficiency. Furthermore, activities on geothermal energy, power grids, methane, and carbon management are planned.Under the overarching themes of H2 demand, utilization, financing, regulation, infrastructure, and safety, WG2 will advance the exchange between Germany and Japan on this key topic of the energy transition. In addition to an in-depth exchange on H2 financing instruments in both countries, discussions on the use of H2 in the power and mobility sectors will be intensified. H2 safety, as a new and highly significant topic, will be addressed in a joint workshop.

Both METI and BMWK emphasized the importance of the energy partnership as a central energy policy communication channel, which also serves as a bridge between industry and research in both countries, and their wish to continue the constructive and meaningful dialogue on the energy transition.