Office of the Governor – News Release – Gov. Green Strengthens Hawai‘i-Japan Relations, Signs Clean Energy Memoranda

HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green today concluded a weeklong visit to Japan, where he and First Lady Jaime Kanani Green led a Hawai‘i delegation through Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa, to strengthen partnerships in clean energy, business development, education and culture.

In Tokyo, Governor Green met with senior leaders from NEC Corporation, JERA Co. Inc. and the Yomiuri Shimbun Group, to explore opportunities in technology, energy and tourism. He also visited Expo 2025 Osaka, where Hawai‘i was recognized during a United States Pavilion event, hosted by Ambassador William E. Grayson, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and the enduring friendship between Japan and the United States. Governor Green met with officials from Japan, France and the U.S. Pavillion, including U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass.

A Strategic Partnering Agreement signed by Governor Green on October 6 establishes a framework for collaboration among JERA Co., Inc., JERA Americas Inc. and the state of Hawaiʻi. The agreement will support the state’s decarbonization goals, advancing clean energy initiatives recommended in the Alternative Fuels, Repowering and Energy Transition study published by the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office in January 2025.

JERA, the largest power producer in Japan and one of the largest power producers globally, has committed to eliminating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from domestic and international operations by 2050. JERA brings unparalleled expertise in energy infrastructure and strategic investment, in addition to its growing emphasis on low- and zero-carbon energy development. These efforts are part of Hawaiʻi’s strategy to diversify its energy portfolio.

In Okinawa, Governor Green and Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki signed a Five-Year Memorandum of Cooperation on Clean Energy, renewing a partnership that began in 2010 between the Hawai‘i State Energy Office and the Okinawa Prefectural Government. The agreement advances shared goals for renewable energy, clean transportation and grid innovation across island communities.

“Hawai‘i and Okinawa share more than history, we share purpose,” said Governor Green. “Together, we’re proving that island communities can lead the world in clean energy and resilience, while honoring the cultural ties that bind us.”

The visit also marked two major milestones: the 40th anniversary of the Hawai‘i–Okinawa sister-state relationship and the 125th anniversary of Okinawan immigration to Hawai‘i. These historic connections continue to shape the social, cultural and economic fabric of both island communities, deepening bonds built on shared values of aloha, family and perseverance.

Governor Green was joined by state legislators and business leaders, including Senate President Ronald Kouchi, Vice Speaker Linda Ichiyama, Senators Glenn Wakai, Chris Lee, and Michelle Kidani, Representatives Gregg Takayama, Dee Morikawa and Kyle Yamashita, as well as Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director James Kunane Tokioka and Hawai‘i State Energy Office Director Mark Glick.

“Japan remains one of Hawai‘i’s most important partners — in energy, commerce, education and people-to-people exchange,” said Governor Green. “This mission reaffirms our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability and friendship that extends far beyond the Pacific.”

Governor Green will return to Honolulu on October 15 following a stop in San Francisco, where he will speak at the Salesforce Dreamforce Conference.

Photos, courtesy Office of the Governor, can be found here.