JETRO's First Business Matching in the Green Sector between ASEAN and Japanese Companies

By Mr. KITAMI So, Regional Research Director (Asia Pacific), JETRO Bangkok

In December 2021 and January this year, JETRO conducted a business matching event between Japanese companies and ASEAN companies for the first time.

This business matching is a new project inspired by a proposal from ASEAN Secretary-General, H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi. JETRO, together with the Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA), holds an annual dialogue with the ASEAN Secretary-General. During the dialogue, H.E. Dato Lim suggested that ASEAN incorporates the technologies and best practices of Japanese companies.

Twenty Japanese companies participated in this business matching event. These companies have products and technologies that help reduce carbon dioxide emissions or improvement of the environment. As a result of the many business meetings, we have now succeeded in matching 15 ASEAN companies from six ASEAN countries, creating a partnership between ASEAN and Japanese companies in the green field.

Let me introduce some of the products and technologies of Japanese companies with which we have made progress in business negotiations. Water treatment-related products attracted a lot of interest from ASEAN companies.

A company from Tokushima prefecture succeeded to proceed in dealing with a Thai company. Their product is a submerged Membrane for MBR (Membrane Bioreactor) with a unique structure that has various advantages compared with a conventional flat membrane unit. Another Osaka company dealing in water purifiers has received inquiries from a Vietnamese company. The difference is that this product is easy to clean and can withstand long-term use.

Technologies to increase energy efficiency also received a great deal of attention. Data centers, which are currently being built rapidly in ASEAN, consume power on a large scale. An Osaka company that is developing equipment to save such power consumption has been matched with a Thai company that operates data centers. Another Osaka company that has a technology to improve the efficiency of biomass power generation by mixing additives to fuel is also in talks with a Thai power generation company.

JETRO intends to contribute to the sustainable economic growth of ASEAN by encouraging the deployment of Japanese companies' products and technologies in ASEAN, as well as partnerships and collaborations between Japan and ASEAN. Amid growing global concern about the environment and climate change, JETRO will support the realization of a green, circular economy in ASEAN and lead to sustainable growth by matching Japanese companies that can solve such issues with ASEAN companies.

Japanese companies are increasingly interested in expanding their businesses in the green field in ASEAN and collaborating with ASEAN companies, and further expansion of ASEAN-Japan business collaboration is expected.