Governor Mark Gordon, along with the Consul-General of Japan in Denver Hiroyuki Okajima, hosted the inaugural Japan-Wyoming Energy Summit in Gillette earlier this month in Gillette. The summit exemplifies the commitment of the Gordon Administration to build collaborative energy partnerships with Japan. It is a direct result of the Governor’s trade mission to Japan and Taiwan in April. The three-part event included a tour of the Wyoming Integrated Test Center (ITC), a business meeting, and dinner with Japanese officials, local elected leaders, and Wyoming energy sector professionals. 

“It was an honor to host the summit with our friends from Japan, following the warm welcome and productive meetings we had in Tokyo. I look forward to developing close, ongoing relationships with our new trade partners,” Governor Gordon said. “Wyoming’s coal is naturally cleaner than our competitor’s coal and we have some of the best natural gas in the world. Bottomline: we have the energy products and technologies Japan needs to help meet consumer demand and their environmental goals by 2050. A strengthening trade partnership between our countries gives Japan reliable and long term access to the world’s cleanest natural gas, helps Japan address their U.S. trade deficit and grows Wyoming’s energy economy. We are grateful for this relationship.” 

The ITC tour portion of the summit was of particular importance. As a result of an agreement entered into five years ago between the state, Japan Carbon Frontier Organization (JCOAL), and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, a successful demonstration of Kawasaki’s carbon capture technology at the Dry Fork Plant led to further deployment of the technology in Japan. 

Following the ITC tour, Consul-General (CG) of Japan in Denver Hiroyuki Okajima spoke at the business meeting, acknowledging the collaboration of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in partnering with the State of Wyoming and energy leaders.

“The series of events today serves as an important follow-up to Governor Gordon’s fruitful economic mission to Japan in April. I would like to congratulate the Governor and his delegation of its success, believing that their visit to Tokyo has made a significant impact in further advancing cooperation in the energy industry between Wyoming and Japan. We, the Consulate-General of Japan in Denver, together with JETRO and NEDO, look forward to collaborating with Wyoming public and private sectors for a better future,” CG Okajima said.

Several Wyoming elected officials attended the presentations and panel discussions, as well as the dinner including the Mayor of Gillette Shay Lundvall, Wyoming State House Appropriations Chairman John Bear, Representative Abby Angelos, Representative Reuben Tarver, Representative J.D Williams, Senator Ogden Driskill, Representative Ken Clouston, and Representative Christopher Knapp.

“I noticed that Japan is very interested in managing their carbon impact, but at the same time they are committed to using fossil fuels as a large part of their energy portfolios. From their perspective, those two things are not contradictory,” Wyoming State Representative J.D. Williams said. “We are more familiar with energy conversations being political. In the short time I spent with the Japanese delegation, they were more pragmatic than we are here” 

“We are off to a good start building relationships with Japan. I’m hoping the Governor has a trick up his sleeve for getting our coal shipped. We have to come together and work together. In government I see a lot of missed opportunities. In business we have to think and move fast. We need to collaborate and execute,” Wyoming State Representative Rueben Tarver said, reflecting on the summit, the stifling energy policies of the Biden administration, and the potential impact of President Trump’s Executive Orders.

Event co-hosts included the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, the Wyoming Mining Association, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, the Wyoming Energy Authority, JETRO, NEDO, and the Wyoming ITC.

“We are honored to have co-hosted the Wyoming Energy Business Seminar alongside the State of Wyoming and the Consulate-General of Japan in Denver. This seminar served as a meaningful follow-up to Governor Gordon’s visit to Japan in April and highlighted the growing interest in energy collaboration between Japan and Wyoming. JETRO is committed to supporting and promoting business exchanges that connect Japanese companies with opportunities in Wyoming. We look forward to continuing our close partnership with the Consulate-General and the State of Wyoming to further strengthen economic ties and mutual understanding,” Yotetsu Hayashi, Chief Executive Director, JETRO San Francisco, said.

“I felt very honored to be able to participate in such a valuable seminar and have a chance to explain Japan’s current situation and policies in the energy field to Wyoming people. The information I received from Wyoming distinguished business persons about specific activities gave me a strong sense of the potential for collaboration between the State of Wyoming and Japan in this field. NEDO is supporting Japanese companies in developing and promoting advanced technologies, mainly in the energy field, through domestic and international activities. We will continue to contribute to activities that can deepen mutual understanding,” Masashi Morimoto, Director General, Special Advisor to the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) and Director General of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) Silicon Valley Representative Office, said.