Premier Danielle Smith, JOGMEC Chairman and CEO Ichiro Takahara, and Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean pose for a photo following the Alberta-JOGMEC MOU signing. (Supplied/Government of Alberta)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

NATURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Alberta and Japanese ministry sign Memorandum of Understanding

Mar 13, 2025 | 10:17 AM

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Premier Danielle Smith and Ichiro Takahara, chairman and CEO of the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), while the two were at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, Texas.

The agreement is meant to renew the two parties’ commitment to deepen cooperation in the responsible development of Alberta’s oil, natural gas, hydrogen and ammonia resources; collaborate to advance carbon capture, utilization and other emissions reduction technologies; and work together to identify and support job-creating investment opportunities.

“JOGMEC has been one of our province’s most significant and long-standing partners in Asia and over the years has played a key role in supporting Japanese investment in our energy sector, which has helped fuel our economy and support jobs for Albertans,” said Smith. “Through this agreement, Alberta looks forward to building on our long history of friendship to advance our mutual priorities and work together to secure Alberta and Japan’s energy future.”

The government says through this agreement, Alberta and Japan will advance mutual energy priorities and build on a long history of friendship that has spanned a range of sectors like energy, agriculture and agri-food, tourism, and more.

“The province of Alberta is rich in natural resources, particularly in oil and natural gas resources, and is expected to have great potential for hydrogen and ammonia production. In the field of carbon capture and storage, Alberta has a well-developed business environment, including legal framework, carbon pricing system and government support programs,” commented Takahara. “Through this MOU, JOGMEC will further deepen its cooperative relationship with the province of Alberta and contribute to the stable supply of energy and resources to Japan and the realization of a carbon neutral society.”

In 2024, bilateral trade between Alberta and Japan totalled more than $3 billion, with Japan being the province’s third-largest export market.

“Alberta and Japan have been good friends for generations and our trade relationship continues to grow through this signing with JOGMEC. We have an opportunity to supply Japan with the most ethically produced oil and gas on the planet to aid in their economy and shift to low-carbon electricity production while we continue to grow our international energy exports,” said Brian Jean, minister of energy and minerals.

Alberta and JOGMEC, which was previously known as the Japan, Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, first signed an MOU in 2017; it was then renewed in 2021.

JOGMEC is a state-owned enterprise under Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry that aims to ensure Japan has a secure and stable supply of energy and other resources.