Top Political Leaders of JAMA Meet Pre-G7 Conference in Hiroshima
Japan's Auto Industry Unveils Holistic Decarbonization Approach at G7 Hiroshima Summit
On the eve of the G7 Hiroshima Summit, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) held an online press conference to share Japan's unique path to carbon neutrality with world leaders. The event was attended by JAMA's chairman, Akio Toyoda, and all seven of its vice chairmen, including Makoto Uchida from Nissan and Seiichi Nagatsuka from Toyota.
The press conference marked the beginning of a global presentation of the Japanese auto industry's vision for various technologies. This vision is centered on achieving carbon neutrality across the entire vehicle lifecycle by 2050, covering design, production, use, recycling, suppliers, and logistics.
Japan's approach to decarbonization is a comprehensive one, focusing not just on tailpipe emissions, but on reducing emissions throughout the entire lifecycle of a vehicle. This includes aggressive emissions reduction targets, green manufacturing projects powered by renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydrogen, and renewable natural gas, and supply chain emissions cuts.
For instance, Toyota aims for a 68% reduction in its direct operational and energy-related emissions by 2035 and a 30-35% reduction in supplier and vehicle-use emissions by 2030. The company has also invested heavily in renewable energy and joined international coalitions to accelerate low-carbon manufacturing.
The Japanese auto industry's technological diversity is another key strength, with a focus on battery electric vehicles (BEV), hydrogen, and hybrids (HEV). This diversity allows the industry to balance industrial and economic realities, including navigating tariffs and supply chain shifts to maintain market access.
The press conference was followed by the announcement of the Japanese auto industry's exhibitions at the G7 venue. These exhibitions, divided into seven zones, will showcase the technologies and products of each company, developed by their engineers. Executive Director Marumoto of Hiroshima-based Mazda highlighted the diversity of options in the Japanese auto industry as a key strength.
Vice Chairman Uchida of Nissan emphasized that the exhibitions demonstrate each company's commitment to decarbonization and their genuine desire to address climate change in a meaningful way. Vice Chairman Nagatsuka emphasized the importance of working together to reduce CO2 emissions and prevent global warming without leaving anyone behind.
Chairman Toyoda expressed that Japan's auto industry desires to help ensure peaceful lives for all of Earth's people. The exhibitions are intended to encourage visitors to learn about the initiatives each company is undertaking for decarbonization.
The G7 Summit provides a platform for the Japanese auto industry to present its unique decarbonization approach, which is centered on a full lifecycle emission reduction focus supported by green manufacturing powered by renewables and strategic supply chain collaboration, rather than an exclusive early shift to EVs or renewables alone.
References: [1] Japan's Auto Industry's Decarbonization Efforts. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.jama.or.jp/en/news/2023/05/18/000102/ [2] Japan's Auto Industry's Technological Diversity. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.jama.or.jp/en/news/2023/05/18/000103/ [5] Japan's Auto Industry's Balancing Industrial and Economic Realities. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.jama.or.jp/en/news/2023/05/18/000104/
- The Japanese auto industry, during their presentation at the G7 Hiroshima Summit, revealed their focus on environmental-science, targeting carbon neutrality across the entire vehicle lifecycle by 2050.
- In line with this commitment, Toyota has set ambitious goals, aiming for a 68% reduction in direct operational and energy-related emissions by 2035 and a 30-35% reduction in supplier and vehicle-use emissions by 2030.
- The industry's approach to decarbonization is not limited to the transportation sector, as they aim to reduce emissions throughout the entire lifecycle of a vehicle, including manufacturing processes powered by renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydrogen, and renewable natural gas.
- The exhibitions at the G7 venue will demonstrate the industry's technological diversity, showcasing innovations in battery electric vehicles (BEV), hydrogen, and hybrids (HEV), and underscoring their commitment to addressing climate-change and contributing to the global finance efforts aimed at a sustainable future.
