Eneos is one of nine founding members of the new Japan Hydrogen Association set up in October.

Japan Hydrogen Assocation has now launched with representatives from the nine original companies—ENEOS Corporation; Iwatani Corporation; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.; Kobe Steel, Ltd.; MITSUI & CO., Ltd.; Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.; The Kansai Electric Power Company, Inc.; Toshiba Corporation; and Toyota Motor Corporation—being managing board members.

As of December, JH2A had 87 member companies. JH2A has three main working groups:

Commercialization and regulatory. Thie WG will make proposals to the government for the creation of social implementation projects, deregulation, etc.

External relations. This group will collaborate with other related organizations, reinforce collaboration with the Hydrogen Council, and conduct public relations.

This group will conduct research and analysis, disseminate information, and prepare research reports.

In other news, Japan's ENEOS has shut its larger naphtha-fed steam cracker plant at Kawasaki for December to carry out emergency repairs at the unit, a company source said.