SPEAKER

OPENING CEREMONY

  • MATSUMOTO Shintaro

    New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization(NEDO)

    Executive Director

    Mr. MATSUMOTO Shintaro is an Executive Director at NEDO. He oversees the Hydrogen and Ammonia Department, the Renewable Energy Department, the Circular Economy Department, and the Green Innovation Fund Projects Coordination Office.

    His career began in 1996 at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the former name for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). There, he worked on global environmental issues, such as adding fluorocarbon emissions reduction rules to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at COP3 in Kyoto, and was involved in developing industrial innovation technology and coordinating a national strategy to address ethical issues related to AI.

    He has also been passionate about disaster relief. In 2011, he was instrumental in post-earthquake reconstruction efforts and coordinated the Future Vision of Fukushima. In 2024 he established the national comprehensive disaster prevention information system SOBO-WEB and in 2025, a national disaster relief supplies support system called B-PLo.

    Mr. Matsumoto completed his master’s in 1996 at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Engineering in the Department of Chemical System Engineering. His research focused on developing a method of reducing CO2 emissions using coral reefs as CO2 sinks through the chemical balance of calcification and photosynthesis.

LAUNCH EVENT Hydrogen Council: Key highlights from the Global Hydrogen Compass 2026 report

  • Ivana Jemelkova

    Hydrogen Council

    CEO

    Ivana Jemelkova is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hydrogen Council, a global CEO-led coalition comprising 140 leading businesses and investors in hydrogen from 20+ countries across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific region.
    An internationally recognized leader in the energy transition, Ms Jemelkova brings an extensive track record of building and managing successful partnerships to accelerate decarbonization. A Czech national, she has lived in Belgium, USA and Germany, and worked with diverse teams across industry, governments, and non-profit organizations world-wide.

SESSION A From Ambition to Reality: Building the Global Hydrogen Supply Chain​

  • Moderator

    FUKUSHIMA Hiroshi

    Japan Hydrogen Association

    Executive Director

    Apr. 1987 Joined Ministry of International Trade and Industry
    Apr. 2008 Director, Chemical Management Division, Manufacturing Industries Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
    Jul. 2010 Director, Research and Development Division, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau
    Jul. 2012 Director, Healthcare Industries Division Commerce and Information Policy Bureau
    Jul. 2015 Deputy Director-General, Manufacturing Industries Bureau
    Jun. 2016 Deputy Director-General (Industrial Security), Commerce, Distribution and Security Group
    Jul. 2017 Director-General for Technology Policy Coordination and Industrial and Product Safety
    Jul. 2019 Retired from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
    Nov. 2019 Joined Iwatani Corporation
    Managing Officer
    Environment and safety
    Apr. 2020 Senior Managing Officer
    Energy Division, Industrial Gases Division, Environment & Safety, Hydrogen Energy
    Apr. 2021 Integrated Energy Business Group, Industrial Gases Division, Environment & Safety, Hydrogen Energy
    Apr. 2022 General Manager, Technology and Engineering Division Iwatani R&D Center, Iwatani Advanced Hydrogen Technology Center, Environment & Safety, Hydrogen Energy
    Jun. 2022 Member of the Board, Senior Managing Officer (current position) Apr. 2023 General Manager, Technology and Engineering Division Iwatani R&D Center Iwatani Advanced Hydrogen Technology Center Sustainability Management Department Safety, Hydrogen Energy (current position)

  • Speaker

    Uwe Remme

    Head,Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels Unit,

    IEA

    Dr. Uwe Remme is Head of the Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels Unit in the Energy Technology Policy Division at the International Energy Agency (IEA). His team is responsible for the analysis of the current trends and future prospects for hydrogen and biofuels.

  • Speaker

    NOMURA Kei

    Kawasaki Heavy Industries,Ltd.

    Executive Officer and General Manager, Hydrogen Strategy Division

    March 1992: Graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Kobe University.
    March 1994: Completed the Master's Program in Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University.
    April 1994: Joined Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    April 2020: Deputy General Manager, Industrial Plants Administration Department, Plant Division, Energy & Environmental Engineering Company.
    April 2021: General Manager, Industrial Plants Administration Department, Plant Division, Energy Solution & Marine Engineering Company.
    August 2023: Deputy General Manager, Hydrogen Strategy Division.
    April 2025: Executive and General Manager, Hydrogen Strategy Division.
    April 2026: Executive Officer and General Manager, Hydrogen Strategy Division.

  • Speaker

    Manfred Ludwig Schuckert

    Daimler Truck AG

    VP, Head of Regulatory Strategy & Intl. Hydrogen Strategy

    I'm leading currently as a Vice President Daimler Truck's regulatory and intl. hydrogen strategy. Since more than 25 years, I'm working on hydrogen solutions for heavy commercial vehicles - in the beginning with city buses, but since many years now also for heavy duty trucks. With the Pegasus-program, Daimler Truck is leading the fuel cell truck development with liquid hydrogen. Daimler Trucks is collaborating with Kawasaki Heavy Industries on the build-up of an intl. liquid hydrogen supply chain.

  • Speaker

    TOBE Chihiro

    The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

    Executive Director

    1992: Joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry(currently the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
    2008: Counselor, Embassy of Japan in Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    2013: Director, New Industry and Social Systems Promotion Office, Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Director, Fuel Cell Promotion Office (concurrently)
    2022: Director-General, Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry
    2024~ : Executive Director, The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

  • Speaker

    Elisabeth Sterner

    H2Global Foundation

    Regional Representative, East Asia,

    Elisabeth Sterner is the Regional Representative for East Asia at the non-profit H2Global Foundation, based in Tokyo. In September 2025, she established H2Global’s first international office in Tokyo to strengthen the foundation’s presence and partnerships across East Asia. In this role, she leads outreach, stakeholder engagement, and government relations to advance clean hydrogen market development in the region. Elisabeth joined H2Global in 2022 after managing large-scale programs for a global leader in the aviation industry. She holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of Hamburg, Germany.

SESSION B Developing Regional Demand: Hydrogen Hubs in Practice​

  • Moderator

    SAKA Hidenori

    New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization

    Director Applied Technology Unit Hydrogen and Ammonia Department

    Hidenori Saka is Director of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization(NEDO)’s Hydrogen Supply Chain Section, Hydrogen and Ammonia Department.
    He is responsible for the execution and coordination of NEDO’s research, development, and demonstration project on hydrogen Supply Chain.
    He joined the NEDO in 2006, just after graduation from Waseda University.
    Before taking up the current position in July 2022, he served in several positions, including international energy demonstration projects, Recycling technology, Smart community technology, and Renewable energy.

  • Speaker

    SATO Takuya

    Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

    Senior Director for New Energy Promotion

    Joined the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in April 2003.
    Held various positions, including assignments within the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs. Appointed
    Senior Director for New Energy Promotion in April 2026.

  • Speaker

    SAITOH Kenichiro

    Japan Hydrogen Association (JH2A)

    Deputy Executive Director / General Manager, Project

    March 1981: Graduated from Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
    April 1981: Joined Mitsubishi Oil Co., Ltd.
    July 2012: General Manager, Research and Development Planning Department, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Co., Ltd JXNOE
    April 2022: Joined Japan Hydrogen Association (JH2A)
    June 2024: Deputy Executive Director, General Manager of Project Department, JH2A
    Mr. Saitoh has also served as Professor of Advanced Energy System for Sustainability “AES” International
    Research Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology (2010-2016). Chairperson of The Research Association of
    Hydrogen Supply/Utilization Technology, HySUT (2012-2015), Vice President of The Japan Institute of
    Energy, JIE (2013-2016), Vice President of Hydrogen Energy Systems Society of Japan, HESS (2014-2016)
    and Director of Japan Automobile Research Institute, JARI (2016-2022).

  • Speaker

    MIYAZAKI Kazuya

    Yamanashi Prefecture

    Director-General, Public Enterprise Bureau

    Joined the Yamanashi Prefectural Government as a civil servant in 1991. As an engineer in the electrical sector, has long been engaged in the prefecture's energy policy.
    Is deeply knowledgeable about the research and development of renewable energy and hydrogen energy, as well as supply chain construction projects, and is responsible for the strategic deployment of Yamanashi Prefecture's hydrogen policy both domestically and internationally.

  • Speaker

    SASAKI Kazunari

    Kyushu University / Hydrogen Institute for Sustainability

    Senior Vice President / Distinguished Professor

    Dr. Kazunari Sasaki graduated Tokyo Institute of Technology for bachelor and master degrees. He then joined Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH-Zürich), Switzerland, and received a Ph.D. degree in 1993.
    After spending 10 years in Europe, at ETH and Max-Planck-Institute for Solid State Research in Germany, he became an Associate Professor of Kyushu University in 1999, and a Professor of Faculty of Engineering in 2005.
    He has been appointed as a Distinguished Professor of Kyushu University in 2011.
    He is now a Senior Vice President of Kyushu University since 2016.
    His research areas are materials and process research on fuel cells and related electrochemical devices.
    He is currently acting as the Chair of Hydrogen and Ammonia Policy Sub-Committee of the Japanese Government.

SESSION C The Dawn of Ammonia : Scaling Supply and Demand Across Power, Shipping and Industry​

  • Moderator

    KUBOTA Nobuhiko

    Clean Fuel Ammonia Association (CFAA)

    President

    In 2022, appointed as managing executive officer and general manager of corporate research and development division of IHI Corporation, and in 2026 executive fellow to this day. Vice President of the Clean Fuel Ammonia Association (CFAA)starting in 2023, and as President from 2025 to the present.

  • Speaker

    Erik Mayer

    CF Industries

    Vice President, Clean Energy and Business Development

    Erik Mayer leads clean energy and business development activities for CF Industries and is a member of the company’s senior leadership team. He has spent over 20 years in the ammonia industry in engineering, project management and commercial roles. Erik was involved in the development of the company’s recent decarbonization and low carbon ammonia projects, including the formation of the joint venture with Jera and Mitsui which will produce low-carbon ammonia for energy use in Japan. Erik holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

  • Speaker

    ROKURODA Takahiro

    Next Generation Fuel Business Group, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha

    Senior General Manager

    Takahiro Rokuroda joined NYK Line in 1997 after graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo. He has held various positions in liner shipping, port operations, corporate planning, and green business, including overseas assignments in the U.S. and Mexico. Since 2024, he has served as General Manager of the Next Generation Fuel Business Group, leading NYK’s initiatives in next-generation fuels.

  • Speaker

    KATO Yuichiro

    JERA Co., Inc.

    Executive Officer, Head of Low Carbon Fuel Value Chain Division

    After many years working in JERA’s LNG upstream business, he was appointed Head of the LCF Value Chain Division upon its establishment in April 2023. He leads an organization that integrates all aspects of low-carbon fuels from upstream to transportation, procurement, and sales and is spearheading the development of Japan’s first low-carbon ammonia value chain.