Japan–EU Cooperation in the Development of Hydrogen-Based Economy

Abstract

Goal – the paper aims to identify the main areas and motives for Japan–EU cooperation in the development of a hydrogen-based economy. Research methodology – text analysis of governmental documents, institutional reports, companies’ websites, and articles in the specialized press. Score/results – the example of several Japanese companies shows that Japan–EU cooperation has been intensifying, mostly in hydrogen-based mobility in Europe, natural gas transformation and supply in Japan, and renewable hydrogen generation in the EU and Japan. Japanese companies seek new markets and competition to advance and popularize their technologies. The ability to comply with the EU environmental regulations makes them a significant player in global efforts to accelerate GHG emissions reduction. Originality/value – the research on international cooperation in hydrogen is scarce but crucial. The development of a hydrogen-based economy will change both economic and geopolitical dynamics, which is especially important in the face of the economic consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.