On April 24, 2026, the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) and the U.S. Embassy Tokyo jointly hosted the fourth annual roundtable titled “Strengthening the U.S.-Japan Energy Security Partnership” at the U.S. Embassy Tokyo. The event brought together approximately 20 participants, including senior government officials, business leaders, and experts from both the United States and Japan. To encourage candid and open dialogue, discussions were held under the Chatham House Rule.
Following opening video remarks by USJC President & CEO Audrey Yamamoto, keynote addresses were delivered by Eric M. Jacobs, Chief of Staff at the U.S. Embassy, and Shinichi Kihara, Director for Energy and Environmental Policy at the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The session was moderated by Yasuo Tanabe, Senior Advisor of USJC, and Dan McCandless, Counselor of the Economic Section at the U.S. Embassy.
The roundtable addressed pressing challenges in energy security, including the dramatic surge in electricity demand driven by the proliferation of AI and the data center expansion. It also examined the geopolitical impacts on energy markets: a natural gas and energy crisis centered in Europe by the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the recent Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz crisis, which have had serious implications for Asia. The discussions offered a substantive exchange that underscored both the urgency of today’s energy security challenges and the depth of the U.S.-Japan partnership in addressing them.
Representatives from the following major companies and organizations participated: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Baker Hughes, Chevron International Gas, ENEOS, Hitachi GE Vernova Nuclear Energy, JERA Global Institute, JOGMEC, Mitsubishi Corporation, Tokyo Gas, Sumitomo Corporation, TEPCO Power Grid, and Westinghouse.
This event was held as part of USJC’s Climate, Sustainability & Leadership Initiative, with support from founding strategic partner Amazon.
A full summary of the roundtable, authored by Roundtable Moderator and USJC Senior Advisor Yasuo Tanabe, is available here (Japanese only).