PM Proposes Japan-S. Korea Hydrogen Cooperation

Jiji Press

18:06 JST, November 19, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO (Jiji Press) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday proposed that Japan and South Korea join forces to build a supply network for hydrogen and ammonia, which are regarded as next-generation energy sources.

Kishida made the proposal when he delivered a speech during a discussion event at Stanford University in California, which was also joined by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.

It is unusual for the leaders of Japan and South Korea to attend such an event together. They may have tried to highlight the improvement in the relationship between their countries, pundits said.

“Japan and South Korea have great potential to promote the use of hydrogen and ammonia in a wide range of fields, including electricity, transportation and industry,” Kishida said.

Cooperation in the field of science and technology will symbolize changing Japan-South Korea relations, he also said.

The prime minister vowed to change the world through cooperation between Japan and South Korea and among the two countries plus the United States.

Underlining the importance of innovation, Kishida said that it cannot be realized by one country alone.

Referring to innovation in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, he insisted that Japan’s materials technology, South Korea’s mass-production technology and U.S. AI chips are all indispensable.

Meanwhile, Yoon said that South Korea, the United States and Japan, which share philosophy and values, can make the lives of not only the people of the three countries but also all mankind freer and richer by jointly developing technology.