FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2023
Council Roundtable on Reducing Methane Emissions Brings Together Global Leaders for Climate Responsibility
TOKYO – The U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) and the U.S. Embassy at Tokyo co-hosted a roundtable on March 14 held at the Embassy and brought together nearly 50 leaders from government, business, technology, industry association, and non-profit communities from the United States, Japan, and the European Commission to explore pathways to reduce harmful methane emissions. Titled “Meeting the Twin Challenges of Climate Change and Energy Security through Methane Mitigation,” the two-hour dialogue addressed how near-term action to reduce methane emissions could increase gas supply and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel provided opening remarks emphasizing opportunities for joint U.S.-Japan action to reduce methane emissions, including by capturing wasted gas. Ambassador Emanuel was joined by U.S. government officials, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the European Commission. Other participants included U.S. and Japanese industry leaders, as well as representatives from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), S&P Global and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ). USJC Senior Advisor Yasuo Tanabe moderated the dialogue, which was held under Chatham House rules.
U.S. and Japanese industry representatives noted the difficulty of accurately quantifying methane leaks and briefed on ongoing research and technology development. Participants agreed that there are opportunities to cooperate in the near-term on an internationally-agreed shared measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) framework for such emissions in the fossil fuel supply chain. There was further recognition of opportunities to cooperate on the application of both U.S. and Japanese technologies toward methane mitigation. Participants also discussed cross-cutting approaches to methane emissions from the agriculture, waste, and energy sectors.
The conversation underscored that U.S.-Japan collaboration remains key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security.
To learn more, please read the November 2021 Global Methane Pledge and the November 2022 joint declaration on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the fossil fuel value chain.
This Roundtable is part of the U.S.-Japan Council’s Climate & Sustainability Initiative (CSI). USJC is deeply grateful to Founding Strategic Partner Amazon for making the Climate & Sustainability Initiative possible.
About the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC)
The U.S.-Japan Council develops and connects global leaders to create a stronger U.S.-Japan relationship. It is an organization whose members believe people-to-people relationships are a powerful way to bring together leaders in the U.S. and Japan to address and create solutions to mutual concerns. The Council is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit educational organization that was founded by a group of Japanese American leaders in 2008, and in 2012, the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) was created and in 2013, it became a Public Interest Corporation (koeki zaidan hojin).
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