Japan designates 18 GX Strategic Regions to boost decarbonization

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has designated the first batch of 18 Green Transformation (GX) Strategic Regions. This initiative aims to create industrial clusters centered around decarbonized power sources, data centers, and industrial complexes to drive economic growth and carbon neutrality.

Under the “Industrial Complex Regeneration” category, Kawasaki City became the first in the nation to receive certification. In collaboration with JFE Holdings and the Kawasaki Coastal GX Strategic Promotion Consortium, the city plans to transform its coastal areas into hubs for hydrogen supply chains and resource circulation. Key projects include establishing scale-up bases for GX startups in the Minami-Watada district and developing large-scale next-generation GX industrial bases in the Ogishima district.

The “Data Center Aggregation” category includes regions such as Ishikari and Tomakomai in Hokkaido, Akita City, Miyagi, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Toyama, Kagawa, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima.

The “Decarbonized Power Source Utilization” category features areas in Aomori, Akita, Fukushima, Niigata, Fukui, and Shimane, focusing on renewable energy, hydropower, nuclear power, and the decarbonization of thermal power plants.