In this exclusive Impact Interview, Mr. Sakurai Kimiho, Vice President and Division Director, Business Development Division at Chiyoda Corporation provided an in-depth look into Chiyoda Corporation’s strategic positioning in the carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) space, with a particular focus on the company’s role in supporting Japan’s decarbonization goals. Mr. Sakurai outlined Chiyoda’s core contributions across various project stages — from feasibility studies to EPC — and shared insights on how the company is actively involved in nearly all of the nine CCUS projects currently supported by JOGMEC.

Key Takeaways:

1. Chiyoda’s Strategic Focus on CCUS:

• CCUS is a core pillar of Chiyoda’s growth portfolio. The company provides end-to-end engineering and technical services — including carbon capture, CO₂ liquefaction, and infrastructure design — and is involved in the early-stage development of most of Japan’s active CCUS initiatives under JOGMEC.

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2. Collaborations with Key Stakeholders:

Chiyoda is actively engaged with:

• PACE CCS on early-phase capture technologies

• Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation (NUIK) on CO₂ liquefaction

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on CO₂ capture

These partnerships aim to accelerate innovation and deployment across the CCUS value chain.

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3. Government Policy is Essential to CCUS Viability:

• Mr. Sakurai emphasized that without clear economic value for captured CO₂, the private sector cannot sustain CCUS activities. Therefore, strong policy support and financial incentives are critical, not only for facility operators but also for service providers like Chiyoda.

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4. Public Awareness and Shared Responsibility:

• Beyond direct subsidies, Mr. Sakurai pointed to the importance of societal understanding and responsibility in addressing emissions. Public awareness and educational efforts are needed to foster acceptance of cost burdens associated with decarbonization.

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5. Global Outlook and Business Opportunities:

• While Chiyoda is deeply committed to supporting Japan’s domestic CCUS projects, Mr. Sakurai identified the U.S. and Europe as near-term commercial hotspots due to strong policy and regulatory support.

• Looking ahead, cross-border CO₂ transport and storage in the Asia-Pacific region — including collaboration with countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia — is seen as a long-term strategic opportunity.