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KUALA LUMPUR: The Japanese government, through its Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (Satreps) programme, is supporting Malaysia in achieving its sustainable development goals.
Satreps promotes international joint research between Japan and developing countries to address global issues.
Japan’s ambassador to Malaysia, Katsuhiko Takahashi, stated that currently, seven out of 65 projects carried out by Satreps are being executed in Malaysia.
“One of the projects we are undertaking involves research on optimising the use of old palm trees (OPT) to produce various green energy products such as biogas and biodegradable materials, thereby enhancing the resource utilisation of OPT.
“Additionally, Japanese companies are also collaborating on research and social implementation. For instance, IHI Corporation is constructing a pilot plant in Kluang, Johor to produce fuel pellets from OPT, and Panasonic is creating wooden boards from OPT for furniture manufacturing and sales,“ he told Bernama.
Takahashi made these remarks after speaking at The Nation ‘In-Focus: Malaysia-Japan Relations’ programme produced by Bernama TV here today, hosted by Gerard Ratnam.
Another ongoing project is the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion project, which utilises the temperature differences in the ocean to generate power.
This project is being developed through a pilot plant off the coast of Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.
Takahashi said the project is expected to yield results once it is implemented next year.
Additionally, Takahashi mentioned that the Japanese government is advising Malaysia on efforts to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from coal-fired power plants.
“As Malaysia aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and given that coal power stations are still operational, we can use new technology like cofiring with ammonia to reduce CO2.
“Through Japan’s Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative announced last year, we hope this platform can assist in preparing customised strategies for countries, including Malaysia, to achieve their climate change goals,“ said the ambassador.
The AZEC is part of Japan’s Green Transformation policy, aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions in Asia while supporting sound economic growth.
On a related note, Takahashi said that collaboration between Japanese companies and the Sarawak Economic Development Corp to generate green hydrogen power is another significant potential area that would benefit both countries.
“As we shift our focus to decarbonisation and expand into the green energy sector to achieve environmental, social and governance principles, we see that Malaysia has traditionally been a significant energy supplier.
“Sarawak, in particular, is rich in hydrogen, an environmentally friendly energy source. It has the capability to generate these green resources, which few countries can produce.
“All these efforts demonstrate our commitment to forming partnerships with Malaysia on sustainable initiatives through technological advancements,“ said the ambassador.
In September 2021, following the release of the 12th Malaysia Plan spanning 2021-2025, Malaysia’s government announced a carbon-neutrality target for 2050.
Malaysia then introduced the National Energy Transition Roadmap in July 2023, setting ambitious targets for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
The plan is comprehensive, outlining a gradual increase in renewable energy shares, targeting 31% by 2025, 40% by 2035, and 70% by 2050.
Meanwhile, 42 years have passed since the introduction of the Look East Policy in 1982.
As a result of the policy, Takahashi said, Malaysia and Japan have consolidated strong and resilient bilateral relations, bringing people closer in social and economic exchanges.
This was evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, where not only did Japanese companies continue to operate in Malaysia, but there was also a marginal increase in the number of Japanese companies entering Malaysia.
Currently, 1,600 Japanese companies are operating in Malaysia.
According to a recent survey conducted by the Japanese Trade Office, 96% of Japanese companies doing business in Malaysia wish to continue or expand their activities.
In addition to a strong presence in the semiconductor segment under the manufacturing sector, the ambassador noted new growth areas in the retail sector, logistics and the Japanese food industry. – Bernama
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