Why Germany and Japan need each other on the Road to Net Zero?
Both Germany and Japan are resource-poor industrial economies racing to decarbonise energy-intensive sectors while safeguarding competitiveness and energy security. Germany's "Energiewende" has pushed renewables, green hydrogen, and grid transformation further than almost anywhere else in the world, while Japanese industry brings deep expertise in energy efficiency, advanced manufacturing, and hydrogen and ammonia supply chains. City of Essen, once the heart of the Ruhr's coal and steel industry, has successfully restructured its regional industry around clean energy and is now a prime example known as "Europe's Energy Capital". It is an insightful partner for Japan, particularly for Tokyo as an enormous energy consumption hub.
At this Seminar, participants can expect to learn how major German utilities are building the energy system of the future, what cross-border partnerships between European and Japanese cities and companies can look like in practice, and where concrete opportunities exist in renewable innovation, hydrogen, and climate-neutral industrial transformation. For companies on either side considering how to internationalise their energy strategy, the exchange offers a rare chance to hear directly from practitioners about what is actually working on the ground.
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Date: October 19th, 2026 (Mon.)
Time: 16:00 - 19:30, Reception Desk will be open at 15:40
Venue: "Sky Room" 34F, Mori JP Tower, Azabudai Hills (In-person only)
Language: Japanese & English Simultaneous Interpretation
Hosted by: NRW.Global Business Japan / EWG - Essen Economic Development Agency / Tokyo Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Support Center
✳︎✳︎✳︎ Please register latest by 15th October (Thu.) 24:00 (JST) ✳︎✳︎✳︎
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Program
Welcome by the Hosts: 16:00-16:10
Thomas Kufen, Lord Mayor, City of Essen
Yusuke Goto, Director for Promotion of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, Commerce and Industry Division, Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Welcome by the Host & Presentation: 16:10-16:25
Connecting Strengths. Creating Opportunities – Japan & NRW
Bety Chu, Senior Manager Investment Promotion Green Economy, NRW.Global Business GmbH
Presentation（16:25-16:35）Essen - Engine of the Energy Transition
Dr. Samiro Bojarra, Project Director, EWG - Essen Economic Development Agency
Presentation（16:35-16:45）Introduction to Industry and Energy Policy Department Initiatives in Tokyo
Keisuke Tanaka, Director, Planning Section, Industry Energy Policy Division, Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Keynote（16:45-17:10）Powering the Transition: How a German Utility builds the Energy System of the Future
Dr. Robert Denda, Chief Executive Officer / Chief Technology Officer, Westenergie AG
Coffee Break
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Panel / Q&A ＜1＞: 17:30-18:00
Where Essen & Tokyo Meet – Building Cross-Border Energy Partnerships
＜Moderator＞ Dr. Carolina Kawakubo, NRW.Global Business Japan, Representative Director and President, NRW Japan K.K.
- Dr. Frank Pieper, CEO, Stadtwerke Essen (Essen Public Utilities)
- Dr. Linda Kisabaka, Chair of the Management Board, Ruhrbahn AG
- Sayoko Kuroda, Manager, Sales Operations, Power&Renewable Business, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
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Panel / Q&A ＜2＞: 18:00-18:30
Value-Driven Energy Systems: Renewable Innovations & Technological Best Practices
＜Moderator＞ Dr. Carolina Kawakubo, NRW.Global Business Japan, Representative Director and President, NRW Japan K.K.
- Johann Böker, Founder & CEO, Greenflash GmbH
- Dr.-Ing. Marcel Biebl, Head of Decarbonization & Climate-Neutral Industry, Gas und Wärme-Institut (GWI) Essen e.V.
- Tobias Grün, Member of the Executive Board, BRYCK Startup Alliance GmbH
- Mirei Isaka, Director, International Collaboration Section, Hydrogen and Ammonia Dept., New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
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Networking (18:30-19:30)
＜Greeting＞ Hitoshi Yamate, Senior Managing Director, Tokyo Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Support Center
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Notes: This Event is designed for participants affiliated with organizations, such as corporations. Please register using your corporate email address matching your domain. We kindly ask for your understanding that we may have to limit participation if we are unable to verify your organizational affiliation.
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