United States-Japan Energy Policy Dialogue

The aims of this effort include:

• To contribute to improved U.S.-Japanese relations by establishing close working relations in the energy sector - a sector of major interest in both countries.
  
  
• To review cooperatively energy challenges to the United States and Japan in the context of global energy developments in the coming decades, taking into account long-term energy supply & demand, geopolitics of oil, energy security, investment and trade, and environmental issues.
  
  
• To contribute to improving the energy systems and environmental performance of such systems through an exchange of experiences in both countries.
  
  
• To prepare recommendations to the public and private sectors of the United States and Japan to address these challenges.

To our knowledge, this dialogue is unique in having brought together key energy leaders from the private sectors of the United States and Japan on a continuing basis in 27 sessions, starting in 1981. Discussions are informal and open, with delegates from Japan and the United States freely expressing their views.

Japan and the United States have a number of reasons for cooperation: the two countries have the two largest national economies in the world; both are major users of energy and both are deeply interested in the Middle East, which has over half of the world’s oil reserves. Both countries are also working towards reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution and are committed to free trade and freer international investment across the board, and in the energy sector in particular. Japan and the United States are actively interested in improving the availability of energy supplies and the efficient and effective use of energy globally through bilateral and multilateral aid programs.

Meetings have been held in Washington, DC, in Japan, in Hawaii, and a special session was held in Beijing. At the most recent meeting in Washington in July 2004, a discussion of major factors impacting the energy supply/demand outlook included: capital requirements, security if global energy, developments in the Middle East, future of nuclear power, and environmental issues. After reviewing developments in U.S. and Japanese energy policy, delegates examined the role of energy in economic development in Asia.

The project is under the overall guidance of General Richard L. Lawson, Vice chairman, Atlantic Council; former president, National Mining Association, and Mr. Shinji Fukukawa, President, Dentsu Institute for Human Studies.