Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Public bodyJapanmeti.go.jp/english

Its roles Investor / Financier Funder

projects tracked
4
active
4
partner companies
6
news articles
10

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI, 経済産業省) is Japan’s central government ministry for industrial policy, trade, and energy. Through entities such as the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy and the Japan Patent Office, METI shapes conditions for manufacturing, chemicals, and advanced materials, from innovation policy to market regulation.

Read more

For the chemical sector, METI develops and implements policies on industrial competitiveness, energy security and pricing, supply-chain resilience, digitalization, and decarbonization (including hydrogen, electrification, and CCUS). It administers programs that support R&D and scale-up of new processes and materials, guides industrial standards and product safety frameworks, and coordinates export controls and international cooperation. METI’s actions influence access to feedstocks and power, investment incentives, and the transition to low‑carbon production across petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, and downstream applications.

Also known as Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and 経済産業省.

Projects METI is involved in

chemXplore tracks 4 projects involving METI, of which 4 are active.

  1. none Announced / Concept
  2. none FEED / Pre-FID
  3. 2 projects FID / Sanctioned
  4. 1 project Under Construction
  5. 1 project Commissioning & Start-up

Active projects

Closest to start-up first.

Expected start-up, by year
0 1 2 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031

1 active project carries no start-up date yet. The dates themselves, per project, are for subscribers.

What moved recently

  • September 2026 MGC Mizushima Carbopath Methanol Demonstration Plant · Commissioning & Start-up · Japan
  • January 2026 Nippon Shokubai new IONEL LiFSI plant at Kitakyushu · Under Construction · Japan

METI in chemical industry news

22 October 2026
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical starts methanol demonstration plant using industrial gases and CO2

100 t/yr mobile demo at Mizushima converts steel by‑product gas and CO2 with H2; METI‑funded and certified by Kurashiki City; product quality matches commercial methanol.

6 October 2026
AGC Biologics expands cell therapy development hub at Yokohama

Yokohama technical center began cell therapy process development in July 2025 and has been awarded multiple exosome and T‑cell projects, including a program transferred from Milan.

27 August 2026
Nippon Shokubai revises investment and schedule for new IONEL™ (LiFSI) plant

Investment raised to ¥43.0 billion and commercial start pushed to Dec 2028; 3,000 t/yr LiFSI plant; delay and higher material/construction costs cited.

19 August 2026
Asahi Kasei expands Kawasaki electrolyzer and chlor‑alkali capacity with regional incentives

Kanagawa Prefecture and Kawasaki city provide financial support for new Kawasaki facilities targeting at least 2 GW each by 2028, raising total capacity above 3 GW.

28 July 2026
AGC Biologics secures long-term manufacturing partnership with leading global biopharma

Deal covers commercial manufacturing of multiple biopharmaceuticals using new Yokohama site; revenue expected at several tens of billions of yen; GMP services targeted for 2027.

9 March 2026
Chugai Recognized for Health Investment Excellence for Third Year

Chugai is acknowledged by METI and TSE for its health management initiatives, emphasizing employee well-being as key to its growth strategy and sustainable healthcare goals.

3 February 2026
QatarEnergy, METI, JERA Agree on LNG Supply for Japan Emergencies

The MoU ensures LNG supply to Japan during emergencies, highlighting Qatar's role in energy security and stable supply.

7 January 2026
LanzaTech Exceeds Performance at Japan MSW-to-Ethanol Plant

The Kuji plant achieved high ethanol yields for 14 days, processing complex syngas and varied waste, showcasing the adaptability and reliability of the fermentation technology.

Where its projects are

active all projects

  • Japan 4 active projects, 4 in all

Partners on its projects