Image: Australian Hydrogen Council CEO Fiona Simon with JETRO MD Takayuki Watanabe

With Japan as a top trading partner for Australia, the Australian Hydrogen Council intends to champion collaboration between the two nations to accelerate both hydrogen industries through strong bilateral ties and cooperation.

Adelaide, Australia: On  Friday 12 April, The Australian Hydrogen Council signed a new agreement with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) that will foster collaboration to advance hydrogen priorities and strengthen trade ties between Australia and Japan.

The agreement was signed by AHC CEO Fiona Simon and JETRO Managing Director Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Takayuki Watanabe, at the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC) conference in Adelaide last week.

The new Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed in Adelaide at the Australian-Japan Business Cooperation Committee (AJBCC) conference on the Transitioning Australia-Japan Energy Partnership.

This strategic partnership signifies the importance of the Australia-Japan Special Strategic Partnership, highlighting both organisations’ dedication to exploring hydrogen as a pivotal element of a low-carbon future.

JETRO and AHC have both identified several complementary goals and activities that pave the way for a promising alliance.

This MoC is set to catalyse cooperation through various channels, including but not limited to:

• Participation in joint committees, working groups, and industry events.
• Collaboration on the delivery of co-branded webinars and events specifically designed for SMEs, startups, and scaleups.
• Exchange of valuable insights through reports, educational materials, and sharing of lessons learned.
• Sharing information relevant to government policies, regulations, and funding opportunities within the hydrogen sector.
• Facilitating introductions to pertinent organisations and industries when necessary.

This partnership aims to enhance information exchange and collaboration, fostering a framework for mutual growth and development in the hydrogen energy sector.

By joining forces, the organisations aim to leverage their resources and expertise to accelerate the development and adoption of hydrogen energy and its derivatives.

The MoC comes off the back of the success at the inaugural meeting for Japan-Australia late last year to strengthen bilateral ties and parallel industries.

Takayuki Watanabe, Managing Director Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Island at JETRO said:

“We are pleased to be partnering with the Australian Hydrogen Council. We believe that hydrogen will play an important role in maintaining and improving bilateral relations, and this MoC will lead to more knowledge-sharing between our two countries.

“We also believe that start-ups with new technologies and flexible ideas will be key to solving our challenges. JETRO, which promotes open innovation, would like to work on collaboration between Australian universities and start-ups and Japanese companies in the hydrogen sector as well, and we are confident that the MoC with AHC will help to accelerate these efforts.”

Dr Fiona Simon, CEO the Australian Hydrogen Council said: 

“The AHC has been closely monitoring the developments of the hydrogen industry in Japan and is proud to strengthen Australia’s progress by formalising these industry partnerships. This cooperative endeavour exemplifies the continued journey towards sustainable energy solutions, setting a precedent for future collaborations”.

“With Japan as a top trading partner for Australia, the Australian Hydrogen Council intends to champion collaboration between the two nations to accelerate both hydrogen industries through strong bilateral ties and cooperation.”

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