The Japan Research Institute, Limited (President: Yasuyuki Kimoto; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; "JRI") today established "I-STEP (Study Group on the Creation of a GND Market)", an organization whose aim is to exploit the new business opportunities created by the "Green New Deal" policies adopted in the US and China, promote Japanese proposals in the US and Chinese markets and establish links with US and Chinese government organizations. Eleven private sector companies are participating in the Study Group, whose inaugural meeting was also held today.

* The Study Group's membership is drawn from the consumer electronics, energy, transportation, real estate development, and telecommunications sectors and includes companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd., and Itochu Techno-Solutions Corporation.
* "I-STEP" stands for "Infrastructure of Sophisticated Transportation and Energy Project".

1. Background

Japan today faces a range of issues, including population decline and the weakening of its fiscal infrastructure. If Japanese companies continue to restrict their activities to the domestic market, it is highly likely that their business will decline; if they are to achieve sustained growth, they must expand into overseas markets. Over the years, many Japanese companies have attempted to move into overseas markets but their efforts have not always met with success, having encountered issues such as the restriction of their business activities to the sale of equipment and parts, which has made it difficult to add value, limited scope for market entry, and excessive risk burdens.

At the L'Aquila Summit in July this year, the developed nations agreed to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To achieve this goal, it will be necessary to move away from reliance on fossil fuels towards a low-carbon transportation and energy infrastructure.

In the US and China, the adoption of Green New Deal policies has launched a major shift towards low-carbon infrastructure accompanied by massive investment. This transformation will require the integration and management of technology and systems that is a strength of Japanese companies, and presents an opportunity for Japanese companies to expand their business.

2. Outline of the Study Group

The Study Group will build on JRI's track record in the fields of energy and transportation in creating Green New Deal projects for the US and Chinese infrastructure markets and seeking to secure a leading role for Japanese companies. Specifically, the Study Group is envisaging projects geared to the creation of a low-carbon society, such as modal shift projects in the US and eco-city projects in China.

(1) Activities

Fiscal 2009

① Investigation and analysis of the impact of the Green New Deal policies on the infrastructure market and identification of promising businesses

• Forecasting of infrastructure transformation on the basis of transportation- and utilities-related policies, legislation, corporate trends, etc.
• Identification of promising markets, evaluation of low-carbon systems, conditions, commercial viability, risk analysis, monitoring of competitor trends, etc.

② Ongoing networking with American and Chinese government organizations and companies

• Establishment of relationships of trust with administrative authorities and involvement in upstream processes (policy-making, planning)
• Investigation of business conditions among local companies, identification of needs, establishment of approach routes, enhancement of awareness of Japanese companies, etc.

③ Development of "seeds" of Green New Deal projects in US and China

• Participation in Green New Deal projects from planning and startup stage through promotional activities
• Establishment of specifications and alliances that will draw on Japan's strengths
• Proposal of business concepts and progressive PPP schemes, etc. based on US and Chinese needs.

Fiscal 2010 onwards

① Establishment of implementation organizations for Green New Deal projects
② Elaboration of business models, development of corporate resources, creation of project teams in collaboration with cities in which projects are to be implemented
③ Formulation of business concepts and plans, examination of PPP schemes, etc.
④ Startup of first Green New Deal projects

(2) Committees

The main activities of the Study Group will be conducted under the auspices of three committees/subcommittees: a General Meeting, a Transportation Sub-committee and a Utilities (Energy & Water) Sub-committee.

(3) Schedule of Activities (fiscal 2009)

Date	Content
October 2, 2009	Inaugural meeting (Conference room at The Japan Research Institute, Limited, Tokyo Headquarters)
2009, Oct. onwards	Sessions of the General Meeting and Sub-committees (each to be convened approximately 3 times)
2010, Jan.	"Promotional visits" to government bodies in US and China, etc.
2010, Feb.	Hosting of "US-Chinese Green New Deal Symposium"
2010, Mar. onwards	Establishment of organizations for the implementation of individual projects in the next fiscal year, etc.

3. Inaugural Meeting

The inaugural meeting held today included a presentation on the content of the Study Group's activities to approximately 100 companies (in addition to the members of the Study Group) with an interest in environment- and energy-related businesses and a keynote speech by Mr. Hitoshi Ikuma, Director of the Center for the Strategy of Emergence and Director of JRI, entitled "The Global Green New Deal and the Transformation it Will Bring in Infrastructure".

Reference: Program of the Inaugural Meeting

Date and time: October 2, 2009 (Friday), 14:30
Venue: Conference Room 101, Tokyo Headquarters,
The Japan Research Institute, Limited, 16 Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
http://www.jri.co.jp/about/map/tokyo/index.html

14:30-14:35 Opening address
14:35-15:20 Keynote speech: "The Global Green New Deal and the Transformation it Will Bring in Infrastructure"
Hitoshi Ikuma, Director, Center for the Strategy of Emergence
The Japan Research Institute, Limited
15:20-16:05 "A Strategy for Japanese Companies Planning to Enter the Green New Deal Market"
Naomi Ishida, Senior Researcher, Center for the Strategy of Emergence
The Japan Research Institute, Limited
16:05-16:50 "Program of Activities of I-STEP (Study Group on the Creation of a GND Market)"
Katsuhiro Soejima, Senior Researcher, Center for the Strategy of Emergence
The Japan Research Institute, Limited
16:50-17:00 Question & Answer Session
17:00 Close of meeting
17:15 Reception (JRI refectory, 6th Floor)

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