Japan Joins European Hydrogen Week 2026 as Country Partner
Overview
Japan participated as a country partner in European Hydrogen Week 2026, held in Brussels from October 26 to 28, 2026. Japan presented its hydrogen technologies and policy initiatives through policy conference remarks, meetings with the European Commission and Germany, exhibits at the Japan Pavilion, and a B2B forum. Participants discussed Japan-Europe cooperation and the development of international hydrogen supply chains, while companies also networked with one another.
Key points
- Japan's policies and international partnerships were presented through conference appearances and meetings.
- Company exhibits covered the hydrogen value chain, from production to use.
- The B2B forum discussed supply chain development and areas for cooperation.
Overview
European Hydrogen Week 2026 is one of Europe's largest hydrogen-related events, co-organized by Hydrogen Europe, the European Commission, and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. Participants from policy, industry, research and development, and investment gathered under the theme "Scaling Hydrogen, Strengthening Resilience" to discuss market expansion, supply chain development, and energy security.
Impact
The event provided an opportunity to deepen Japan-Europe cooperation in the hydrogen sector and strengthen coordination toward building international supply chains. At the B2B forum, networking among participating companies helped create new business opportunities.
Details
Japan participated as a country partner in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium. Takehiko Matsuo, Special Advisor to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (former Vice-Minister for International Affairs), spoke at a policy conference, presenting Japan's hydrogen policy, international cooperation, and challenges in market expansion and international supply chain development. He also exchanged views on cooperation related to hydrogen and other matters with Celine Gauer, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy, and Bernhard Kurth, Director-General of Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
At the Japan Pavilion, organized by JETRO and NEDO, Japanese companies exhibited technologies and solutions for hydrogen production, transportation, storage, and use. At the NEDO-organized B2B forum, companies involved in Japan-Europe collaboration presented their initiatives and discussed requirements for developing supply chains and potential areas for cooperation, drawing on industry partnerships and international projects supported by governments.