Japan invites Malaysia to take part in Green Expo 2027 in Yokohama

KUCHING (Jan 30): Japan has called on Malaysia to take part in the Green Expo 2027 to be hosted by the Yokohama City, said Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata.

Speaking at a dialogue session with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) at The Gallery, DeTAR Putra in Kota Samarahan on Friday, Shikata said the government has yet to decide on its participation.

“I am now in the process of persuading the Malaysian government to be represented.

“I think it is essential for Malaysia to take part, especially other countries such as Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia are already represented,” he said.

According to Shikata, Yokohama is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, which places strong emphasis on sustainability, in line with Japan’s national focus on global environmental conservation.

He said the Green Expo, scheduled to begin in March next year and run for six months, will serve as a key platform to showcase its efforts in sustainability and environment protection.

“We hope that Unimas will send a delegation to Yokohama next year,” he added.

Shikata noted that Japan and Malaysia have long enjoyed close bilateral ties, particularly in East Malaysia and Sarawak, with Japanese companies playing a significant role in the state’s development.

Shikata shared his experience last year, where he visited Bintulu and met representatives from Japanese firms such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Jera and Ihi, which have ben long-standing partners in Sarawak’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.

“These projects have supported not only Sarawak’s economic development but also Japan’s energy security,” he said.

More recently, Shikata said Japanese corporations have expanded into new areas in Sarawak, including hydrogen, ammonia and decarbonisation technologies.

“Japanese companies, together with Sarawak and Malaysian partners, are now exploring new ways to build a greener and more sustainable energy future,” said Shikata, stressing the importance of technological innovation in achieving carbon neutrality.

He also highlighted Japanese startup Chitose Group’s algae-based energy project in Sarawak, which has received strong support from the Sarawak government.

“This is one of the cutting-edge investments by a Japanese startup, strongly supported by the Sarawak government, with Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg playing a key role,” he said.

Shikata further described Unimas as an essential partner for Japanese universities and research institutions, citing ongoing collaborations with Hokkaido University, Kyoto University and the University of Tsukuba.

“These collaborations cover areas including tropical biodiversity, environmental monitoring and conservation, renewable energy, and medical and health sciences,” he said.

Looking ahead, Shikata noted that Japan and Malaysia will celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, marking nearly seven decades of cooperation across political, economic, educational and people-to-people exchanges.

Also present were Unimas Board of Directors chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Sulong Matjeraie and vice chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit.