Press release (March 13 , 2009)(PDF)

November 5, 2008

Speech of the representatives from the inaugural meeting

Chairman Fujio Mitarai

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As introduced, I am Fujio Mitarai, Chairman of Nippon Keidanren. Today I would like to say a few words as the representative of the founders at the inaugural general meeting of the Japanese Business Alliance for Smart EnergyWorldwide.
As you are all aware, Japan was able to overcome the effects of two oil crises in the past using its world-leading technology. Even afterwards, Japan has consistently striven for energy conservation. As a result, Japan has made business development compatible with the environment, realizing the world's highest levels of energy efficiency.
In recent years, since global environmental problems have become strongly recognized, efforts to reduce CO2 emissions have been incorporated throughout the business world, and results have been steadily advancing. The business community will continue to tackle technical development to maintain Japan's highest levels of energy efficiency, and will strive in the future to contribute not only through the cooperation of industrial sectors, but also in household sectors and transportation sectors.
The problem of global warming is not just a problem for Japan, but is common throughout the world. The resolution of this problem can only be achieved through the use of technology. Japan maintains a large amount of world-leading technology in energy conservation and new energy, as represented by low fuel consumption vehicles, heat pumps, and solar power generation, in addition to production technology.
Based on the results of these types of technological developments, we would like to realize global warming measures on a global scale by providing support to various overseas countries.
Accordingly, this Japanese Business Alliance for Smart Energy Worldwide is being set up at this time through cooperation between the Japanese government and the business community in order to establish Japan's world-leading energy conservation and new energy technology as an Eco-Brand and to prepare a system for widely disseminating this on a business basis throughout the world.
I hope very much that the activities of this alliance will be successful as one practical measure against global warming. In this short speech at the opening of the meeting, I would like to request the fullest cooperation from everyone concerned, including the Japanese government.

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai

As kindly introduced, I am Toshihiro Nikai, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Today I would like to say a few congratulatory words to express my great pleasure concerning the outstanding inauguration of the Japanese Business Alliance for Smart EnergyWorldwide as it embarks on its new activities.
As you may already know how important energy conservation and new energy is. The important point at this time is that these efforts must not be confined only within Japan. It has become clear through conducting measures to cope with global warming that efforts by Japan alone will not realize satisfactory results, and I believe it will be necessary to plan the development of energy conservation and new energy together with newly emerging nations which will undergo a rapid rise in demand for energy in the future. Worldwide, there is a need for Japanese technology that will achieve energy conservation and new energy, and the swift realization of this win-win relationship is earnestly required to ensure the strong economic growth of Japan.
I believe that this alliance will become the parent organization forming the core for promoting the spread of Japanese energy conservation and new energy products and technology throughout the world on a business basis, and the alliance is being established at just the right time.
Japan maintains world-leading technologies including solar power generation, inverters, heat pumps, and highly efficient thermal power station facilities, and hybrid cars. In order to have these advanced technologies utilized widely throughout the world, it will be essential to promote Japan's brand image as an environmentally advanced country and to convey the smartness of Japanese technology to the world. I believe this will have an extremely important meaning in determining the course that Japan should follow in the 21st century and its directions for making new contributions to the world.
In my wish for the increasing development of this alliance, all of the executive members of my Ministry below the rank of vice-minister are attending this meeting today to show our full support for the alliance. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak.

Chief Vice Chairman Nobuya Minami

My name is Nobuya Minami and I have been appointed as the chief Vice Chairman of the Japanese Business Alliance for Smart Energy Worldwide.
Here I would like to say a few words as the representative of the host association. Today we are honored by the presence of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai and other representatives of the government and related institutions, together with many representatives of leading companies and associations from the Japanese business world.
At the inaugural meeting of the Japanese Business Alliance for Smart Energy Worldwide that was held earlier, the alliance was formally inaugurated. In the lead-up to the inauguration, great assistance was received through efforts by many persons from government and related institutions and from companies, and I would first like to express my thanks to all of these people.
The world is currently facing the pressing issues of financial instability and the economic downturn. On the other hand, we are also in the condition where the tackling of structural issues on a global scale relating to climate change problems and the unprecedentedly high prices of natural resources will require the gathering of collective wisdom.
To realize this, expectations will certainly be high that Japan, which maintains the world's highest standards of energy conservation and new energy technology, should adopt a gworldwide" viewpoint as embodied in the name of this alliance when carrying out its activities.
Against this background, in addition to representatives from government and related institutions, a total of 67 members (51 companies and 16 associations) from the business world who are supporting the alliance's activities have gathered here today. This is highly meaningful, showing that a firm foundation has been established between government and business for promoting Japan's outstanding energy conservation and new energy technology to the world.
In the future, this alliance will aggressively develop concrete activities to realize its objectives, and will strive to become the core Japanese association contributing to gglobal energy conservation". To achieve this, it will be indispensable to receive the full support of representatives of government and related institutions, and to maintain close cooperation among members as an galliance".
I therefore wish in this brief speech to earnestly request even greater support and cooperation from everyone concerned, including all those gathered together today.