Hyundai Motor is taking part in the Korea-Japan parliamentary association’s visit in Japan this week to establish a hydrogen network and activate hydrogen exchanges and collaboration, the Korean automaker said Monday.

Hyundai Motor pointed out that it plans to set up hydrogen partnerships in Japan through this event as the two countries look to build an ecosystem for the hydrogen industry on the global stage and expand its market.

According to Hyundai Motor, the two countries’ lawmakers and hydrogen-related organizations such as the Global Green Growth Institute, Korea Hydrogen Alliance and the Kawasaki City Government — which leads Japan’s hydrogen industry — will meet to discuss the development of standardized hydrogen technology, projects to test hydrogen production such as ammonia cracking and the introduction of hydrogen-related parts with competitiveness.

The Korea-Japan parliamentary association organized the event with the belief that hydrogen is an essential strategy for realizing a sustainable carbon neutral society, and there are limitations to the efforts individual countries can make to construct a hydrogen society.

A total of 12 current and former lawmakers from the two countries took part in the event, including Rep. Joo Ho-young of the ruling People Power Party who serves as the deputy speaker of the National Assembly and Yoshihide Suga, former prime minister of Japan.

The cooperative event, which is scheduled to take place in Tokyo and Kawasaki regions from Monday to Wednesday, includes a visit to the hydrogen charging station at Tokyo Tower, a roundtable on hydrogen energy, a tour of Chiyoda Corp.’s hydrogen facility and a trip to the liquefied hydrogen terminal at the Port of Kobe.

The members of the Korea-Japan parliamentary association agreed to push for offering congressional support so that the two countries can lead the efforts to establish a global hydrogen society during the roundtable on hydrogen energy held at the Japanese parliament Monday.

Based on this week’s meeting, the lawmakers of the two countries will come up with concrete measures such as unifying the standard for certifying clean hydrogen, leading the standardization of hydrogen charging technology, bolstering compatibility of the two countries’ certification in regard to hydrogen-related products and co-developing hydrogen production technology.

Hyundai Motor noted that the cooperation is expected to accelerate the establishment of joint legislation and policy development as well as the improvement of regulations and systems to invigorate both countries’ hydrogen industries.

“Both Korea and Japan are the countries that have world-leading hydrogen technologies,” said a Hyundai Motor official.

“We will actively leverage (the Korean delegation’s visit to Japan) to maximize the synergy between the two countries.”

Hyundai Motor has continued to develop hydrogen technologies including the introduction of the Initium, the automaker’s latest hydrogen fuel cell concept car unveiled in November 2024.

By Kan Hyeong-woo (hwkan@heraldcorp.com)