On March 15, USJC partnered with the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) to co-organize a roundtable dialogue titled, “IRA and GX Strategy: U.S.-Japan Partnership for a Net-Zero World.”
This roundtable was held on the occasion of a visit to Japan by John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President for International Climate Policy in order to broaden the understanding of Japanese stakeholders regarding the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and to strengthen the U.S.-Japan partnership in coordination with Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) strategy. The discussion was also expected to serve as preparation for the Japan-U.S. summit meeting scheduled for Prime Minister Kishida’s visit to the United States in April.
Then-USJC President and CEO Suzanne Basalla emcee’ed the event and USJC Senior Advisor Yasuo Tanabe moderated the dialogue, which was on the record. Opening remarks were provided by U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Ray Greene, and IEEJ Chairman & CEO Tatsuya Terazawa. Keynote presentations were provided by Mr. Podesta, METI Director General for Energy and Environment Policy Shinichi Kihara, and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol (via video). A number of other top government, corporate, and thought leaders gave remarks during the roundtable dialogue.
Mr. Podesta shared about the U.S. Government’s efforts in partnership with the private sector through the IRA to promote clean energy investment in the power, industrial, transportation, building, and agricultural sectors through $369 billion in tax credits, loans, and grants. He further highlighted the large investments in clean energy and job creation figures under the Biden Administration, as well as the synergies between the U.S. IRA and Japan’s GX strategy. Other participants in the roundtable talked about the importance of unique pathways in the pursuit of clean energy transitions, building supply chains to promote the introduction of clean hydrogen and ammonia, green demand, technology and sub-national players.
The roundtable was a meaningful dialogue that advanced mutual understanding between Japan and the United States, and is positioned to help stimulate and promote the U.S.-Japan partnership in terms of policy and private sector business activities. It follows on a previously co-organized roundtable in March, 2023, titled, “Meeting the Twin Challenges of Climate Change and Energy Security through Methane Mitigation” (click here for a summary). Both of these events were held as part of USJC’s Climate and Sustainability Initiative, which is supported by the Initiative’s Founding Strategic Partner, Amazon.
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Roundtable Moderator and USJC Senior Advisor Yasuo Tanabe published a full summary of the roundtable here (original in Japanese, or click here for an English version.)