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Highlights
- WA Premier engages Japan for clean energy talks
- LNG and next-gen fuels dominate bilateral focus
- Major ASX player Woodside’s key JV in spotlight
Western Australia (WA) has embarked on a strategic diplomatic and trade mission aimed at deepening its clean energy alliance with Japan, one of its most significant international partners. Premier Roger Cook has travelled to Japan this week to hold high-level discussions with government and industry leaders, advancing plans for collaboration in liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon technologies.
This official visit—the Premier’s first to Japan since returning to government—underscores WA’s commitment to long-standing partnerships in the energy and resources sectors. Japan remains the state’s second-largest trading partner, with two-way trade valued at $29.8 billion in 2024.
The mission sets the stage for key upcoming events: the World Expo 2025 Osaka in September, where WA is a Gold Partner in the Australian Pavilion, and the 62nd Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC) Annual Joint Business Conference in October. The conference’s theme, “Navigating New Realities – Turbulence, Transition and Technology,” reflects the shared ambitions of both nations to transition towards sustainable energy.
One of the trip's focal points is the continued importance of LNG in Japan’s energy security, alongside future-facing conversations around hydrogen, green iron, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). WA has supplied LNG to Japan since 1989, a legacy that continues to evolve in the context of clean energy targets.
Notably, the visit brings renewed attention to the North West Shelf Venture—Australia’s largest resource project—where the MIMI joint venture, a 50:50 collaboration between Mitsubishi Corporation (TYO:8058) and Mitsui & Co (TYO:8031), holds a one-sixth stake. The venture is operated by Woodside Energy Group (ASX:WDS), a major player in the Australian energy landscape and a constituent of the ASX 200 today.
The North West Shelf produces natural gas, LNG, crude oil, condensate, and LPG from vast offshore reserves near Karratha. Additionally, MIMI holds a 14.4% equity interest in the Browse Joint Venture, another significant WA gas resource located approximately 425 km off the coast of Broome. Early commercial development of Browse remains a priority amid shifting global energy dynamics.
This diplomatic mission reiterates WA’s vital role in supporting Japan’s energy transition and highlights the enduring economic and strategic ties between the two regions—cementing their place at the forefront of Asia-Pacific energy cooperation.
