Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc.
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
IHI Corporation
Tomakomai Futo Co., Ltd.

Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Sapporo; President: Susumu Saito), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kenichi Hori; “Mitsui”), IHI Corporation (Head Office: Koto-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hiroshi Ide), and Tomakomai Futo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tomakomai, Hokkaido; President: Takao Kaizu) today announced the receipt of approval from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for certification under the Hub Development Support Program within the Hydrogen Society Promotion Act. ^{* 1}

The Hub Development Support Program, implemented by METI's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, aims to accelerate the supply and utilization of low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives by providing support for the development of infrastructure necessary for transportation and storage.

Based on the certified business plan, the four companies aim to develop, by fiscal year 2030, a low-carbon ammonia supply hub in the Tomakomai area of Hokkaido as part of a large-scale low-carbon ammonia supply chain project targeting Japan’s first commercial operation. Low-carbon ammonia significantly reduces CO₂ emissions compared with conventional production processes. In addition to decarbonizing existing value chains such as fertilizers and chemical products, it is also expected to be used as a clean fuel that does not emit CO₂ during combustion.

Under this plan, up to 280,000 tons per year of low-carbon ammonia procured by Mitsui, which was certified on December 19, 2025 under the support system focusing on the price gap within the Hydrogen Society Promotion Act^{* 2}, will be utilized by low-carbon hydrogen users as fuel or feedstock, with the aim of reducing environmental impact.

In Hokkaido, energy demand is expected to increase substantially in the future, driven by the development of next-generation semiconductor manufacturing facilities and large-scale data centers. In addition to the introduction of renewable energy such as offshore wind power, ammonia is also expected to see strong demand potential as a fuel for decarbonized energy. In particular, Tomakomai has been designated as a Strategic International Port serving as a logistics hub for Hokkaido and offers shipping routes with access to both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. These advantages make Tomakomai a highly promising location, enabling the supply of fuel not only to areas surrounding the hub but also to a wide range of customers within and beyond Hokkaido through the use of domestic vessels. Through the construction of a large-scale low-carbon ammonia supply chain centered on Tomakomai, the four companies will continue to advance studies and development efforts, while seeking understanding and cooperation from local communities, with the aim of contributing to the achievement of carbon neutrality across Japan.



*1　Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) website, March 27, 2026
https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/category/saving_and_new/advanced_systems/hydrogen_society/carbon_neutral/index.html

*2　U.S. low-carbon ammonia project acquires certification under Japan's Price Gap support system (Mitsui & Co., Ltd.)
https://www.mitsui.com/jp/en/topics/2025/1252553_14859.html

　
Conceptual Image of the Ammonia Supply Hub in the Tomakomai Area

　
Image of Wide-Area Ammonia Supply Network

　
Location Map of the Ammonia Supply Hub in the Tomakomai Area

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