Japan to Launch New Strategy for Setting International Standards in Next-Gen Solar Cells and Hydrogen

May 25, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has drafted a new strategy aimed at giving Japan an advantage in shaping international standards for emerging technologies such as next-generation solar cells.

The full outline of this strategy, which METI unofficially presented to the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) on May 23rd, was revealed through interviews with TV Tokyo.

International standards refer to globally recognized specifications that apply to new products and technologies. The draft identifies five priority areas: next-generation solar cells, quantum technologies, hydrogen, ammonia, and next-generation batteries. The plan calls for the government to establish a new support body to accelerate the creation of international standards led by “top-runner companies” with advanced expertise in each sector.

Looking further ahead, the strategy includes plans to acquire foreign certification bodies, strengthening Japan’s influence in global standard-setting processes and enabling the adoption of standards favorable to Japanese industry.

Source: テレ東BIZ

Typhoon No. 18 Could Strike Okinawa Next Week

Typhoon No. 18, known as Soudelor, could directly affect Okinawa and the Amami Islands around August 26 after intensifying into a "very strong" storm, while dangerous heat and sudden thunderstorms are also threatening wide areas of Japan.

Japan to Abolish Cool Japan Fund

Japan's government is moving toward abolishing the Cool Japan Fund, a public-private investment vehicle created to support the overseas expansion of Japanese anime, food culture and other industries, after its cumulative losses reached 54 billion yen.

Four Workers Killed After Being Struck by Spacia X Train in Tochigi

Four workers were killed after being struck by the limited express train Spacia X while carrying out vegetation-clearing work at Shin-Kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line in Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture, on August 20, prompting an investigation by the Japan Transport Safety Board.

Shikoku Shinkansen Plan Revived After 53 Years

Plans to bring Shinkansen service to Shikoku have taken a significant step forward for the first time in 53 years, with the transport ministry beginning preliminary studies that could eventually cut travel times from Osaka to major cities including Tokushima, Takamatsu and Matsuyama to around 90 minutes.

Expo Construction Chief Accused of Inflating Invoices

A Takenaka Corp. construction manager who oversaw work on the Grand Ring and other facilities at the Osaka-Kansai Expo was arrested on August 19 on suspicion of causing more than 13 million yen in losses to the major contractor through inflated construction bills, with police investigating allegations that money from the scheme was used for renovations to his home and a cafe operated by relatives.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Drought Deepens Across Japan

Dangerous heat returned across Japan on August 19, complicating disaster recovery efforts in earthquake-hit Kumamoto and flood-damaged Chiba while unusually low rainfall and limited snowfall pushed reservoirs in several regions toward critical levels.

A Closer Look at Lithium-Air Batteries

Japanese researchers are developing a lithium-air battery that uses oxygen from the atmosphere to store and generate electricity, promising nearly five times the capacity of conventional lithium-ion batteries at less than half the weight and potentially opening the way to far longer electric vehicle driving ranges.

Footage Shows Fault Tearing Up Rice Paddy in Kumamoto

Security camera footage captured the moment part of the Hinagu Fault Zone broke through the ground during the Kumamoto earthquake on July 28, as strong shaking lifted the surface of a rice field and moved a nearby light truck violently.

T. Rex May Have Lived to 40, New Research Suggests

New research is reshaping long-held assumptions about Tyrannosaurus rex, including suggestions that the giant predator may have lived to around 40 years rather than 28, while advances in fossil analysis are also offering new clues about dinosaur growth, posture and even color.

H3 Rocket No. 9 Successfully Launches Japan GPS Satellite

Japan's H3 Rocket No. 9 successfully placed the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into its planned orbit after lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:23 a.m. on August 11, marking the country's second consecutive successful H3 launch.

Instant Houses Installed in Kumamoto Disaster Area

Requests for rapidly constructed "instant houses" are growing across areas of Kumamoto Prefecture devastated by the recent earthquake, providing air-conditioned temporary shelter for residents who have been sleeping in tents and vehicles beside their damaged homes.

Students Design Future Lunar City in Minecraft Using JAXA Materials

University students in Shizuoka have designed a future lunar city using the globally popular game Minecraft and educational materials supervised by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, combining programming and spatial design to explore how people could live safely and sustainably on the moon.

Toyota Futuristic City Begins Recruiting Residents

Toyota Motor has begun recruiting residents of Shizuoka Prefecture to live in Woven City, its experimental community for developing future technologies, with about 25 households expected to move into the site for two years from March 2027.

< 2 3 4 5 >