As a facility key to SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) next-generation social infrastructure initiative the “Hokkaido Tomakomai AI Data Center” is designed to house a large-scale computing platform and operate entirely on renewable energy procured locally within Hokkaido Prefecture a traditional groundbreaking ceremony was held at the construction site of the AI data center which is expected to grow into one of Japan’s largest Simulated rendering of the future Hokkaido Tomakomai AI Data Center To address the sharp increase in data processing demand driven by the rise of generative AI and to counterbalance the overconcentration of data centers in the Tokyo and Osaka metropolitan areas SoftBank and its subsidiary IDC Frontier Inc are constructing a large-scale AI data center in Tomakomai City Known as the “Hokkaido Tomakomai AI Data Center,” the center will serve as a core facility for SoftBank’s “Brain DataCenter” concept—an integral part of its next-generation social infrastructure initiative aimed at decentralizing data processing and energy consumption nationwide Scheduled to begin operations in fiscal 2026 the Hokkaido Tomakomai AI Data Center is expected to become one of Japan’s largest with an area of 700,000 square meters and a power capacity expected to exceed 300 megawatts which included a traditional soil-turning ritual was held at the construction site for the project's safety and success The ceremony was attended by approximately 130 guests including key government officials such as Toshihiko Shibuya Deputy Director-General for Information Policy at Japan’s Ministry of Economy alongside representatives from the construction and technology sectors reflecting on the project’s origins and challenges “When we envisioned the future of generative AI we knew Japan needed large-scale data centers I approached Governor Suzuki to discuss possible sites in Hokkaido and that conversation became the starting point for this data center Although the project was briefly paused due to the pandemic the Governor re-engaged us as the situation began to stabilize Thanks to the leadership of the Governor and the swift and dedicated efforts of the Hokkaido Prefectural Government we were able to reach this groundbreaking just one year after resuming the project—a rare feat for a data center of this scale which typically involves lengthy processes for land acquisition and development.” “Despite rising construction costs and labor shortages we’ve been able to move forward thanks to the shared vision and cooperation of everyone here today we’ll build and deploy advanced AI technologies centered around this facility I want today to be remembered as a new chapter for Hokkaido.” SoftBank and the Hokkaido Prefectural Government signed an updated partnership agreement to further strengthen collaboration related to the data center This agreement builds on a previous accord signed in February 2024 with new provisions aimed at revitalizing Hokkaido’s industries through the utilization of the data center which are ideal conditions for a large-scale data center Miyakawa to consider such a development here The Japanese government’s GX2040 Vision calls for clustering new industries in energy-rich regions today’s groundbreaking ceremony is deeply significant.” “As smartphones and AI become increasingly integrated into our lives I believe all sectors of society will rely on them we’ll work together to address regional challenges and improve the quality of life for people in Hokkaido.” AI Innovations Driving SoftBank Corp.’s Vision for a Sustainable Future (Posted on May 1, 2025, Original Article Published on April 22, 2025)by SoftBank News Editors Information is current as of the time of publication titles and other information are subject to change You cannot quote because this article is private has failed to decarbonize relative to that growth CCS’s false promises distract from proven alternatives like solar and wind.“One problem with the government’s plans is that CCS has limited effectiveness and it’s quite expensive,” Ayumi Fukakusa deputy executive director at the nonprofit Friends of the Earth (FoE) Japan “We can’t rely so much on unproven technologies.” For years, proponents have argued that CCS is essential to decarbonizing steel, cement, and thermal power plants. Between 2016 and 2019, Japanese officials say the Tomakomai project captured 300,000 tons of C02 storing it in an offshore rock bed using existing technology from the oil and gas industry Stay up to date with DeSmog news and alerts subsurface CO2 storage in Asia,” Daiji Tanase “It’s a very popular place to visit for experts from the region governments are adding CCS to national energy and decarbonization strategies Indonesia and Malaysia are pushing forward on plans to expand CCS in depleted oil and gas fields China has dozens of CCS projects planned across the country and India is preparing to release a CCS policy next year But experts say recreating Tomakomai elsewhere in Japan could be both technologically and financially prohibitive with potentially harmful impacts for the climate an energy finance advisor at the nonprofit Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis “The amount of money that Japan and companies backed by the government are waving in front of other Asian countries could derail and distract from their decarbonization plans and limit the expansion of proven technologies like wind In 2023, the Japanese government announced the next phase of its CCS drive selecting seven large-scale hubs that could commercially start storing CO2 by 2030 Several of Japan’s largest fossil fuel industrial companies are involved many of which are active players in global oil and gas exploration The main companies involved in these projects declined or did not respond to requests for comments.  Japan’s largest oil and gas exploration and production company “CCS is a technology that can substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” and the technology is “expected to be a promising means of CO2 reduction.” The Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security the government agency leading the CCS drive declined to respond to a request for comment The Tomakomai demonstration project has direct links to Japan’s broader CCS plans Tanase said Japan CCS will use experience gained through running the project to operating seven additional projects under consideration by the government.But Fukakusa questions just how relevant the Hokkaido project is.  “Tomakomai is in many ways an ideal situation capturing CO2 and storing it nearby,” Fukakusa said “What they are proposing with the hubs is totally different.” Some will rely on  pipelines to transport CO2 which may prove challenging to construct due to Japan’s mountainous or commercial vessels – yet exists in Japan Japan also aims to build CO2 hubs in Indonesia and Malaysia where companies see depleted oil and gas fields as potential storage sites for captured CO2.  environmentalists in Asian countries watching the Japan-led CCS plans grow are worried about the impact on their nations’ energy transition “Why do we spend so much money for a technology that is unproven, risky, and will prolong the life of fossil fuels while we [already] have better technology, which is renewables?” said Sisilia Dewi, 350.org‘s Asia managing director who is concerned about the spread of pro-CCS messaging in the region “No technology has lived up to its advertised capture rate,” Hauber said they say they can capture 90 to 95 percent of CO2 but our research shows it’s more like 50 percent without subsidies or other financial support — remains a distant dream “That failure really shows that CCS is costly and technically difficult to be commercialized,” said FoE Japan’s Fukakusa “There’s still no concrete proposal to reduce the cost.” Fukakusa is skeptical that any of Japan’s planned CCS projects will be ready by 2030. FoE Japan sees the push as an effort to continue burning fossil fuels, noting the role that Japanese and international oil and gas companies are playing as they look to expand CCS in Southeast Asia and Australia “Japanese energy policy is still quite dependent on fossil fuels and the reason why [experts are advocating for] CCS is to keep using fossil fuels,” Fukakusa noted “Japan is making multiple bets on highly speculative technologies and remote disposal of carbon,” said Hauber “They are gambling with the 2030 and 2050 Paris targets on unproven technologies that are high risk and high cost but [that] allow them to continue on a high fossil fuel consumption pathway.” renewable technologies could displace fossil fuel use with green hydrogen perhaps playing a role in energy-intensive industrial sectors.Experts say it is hard to see how CCS could compete with the rapidly falling costs of solar unproven solution will only hurt the country economically.“If the government keeps subsidizing or supporting CCS Japan will lose out financially,” said Fukakusa “What we really need is to phase out fossil fuels and support renewable energy and other proven solutions.” Even as the mood at Edmonton’s annual expo turned cautious industry still bet on public dollars to keep its net zero dream alive private equity firm KKR contributed to the president’s swearing-in ceremony The would-be mayor has claimed that carbon dioxide “is not pollution” Newsletter Website by SeriousOtters Subscribe Donate Picture by IIHF/Reiji NagayamaBy Shintaro KanoTalk about a fast start the hosts were prolific once again as they secured a spot at what will be their fourth straight Games became the first Japanese athletes to earn a quota spot at Milano Cortina 2026 not too nervous and in the right frame of mind,” said Japan head coach Iizuka Yuji "They took it upon themselves right from the start as they did in the France game "I have absolutely no complaints with our pace and finishing We did well to take our chances when we had them and I’m pleased with we set the tone early.” Saturday’s blow-out put Japan on six points and top of the group With France defeating the People’s Republic of China 4-1 earlier Japan are assured of first place even were they to lose their final game to their Asian rivals Sweden and Germany secure a quota spot at the where they will join hosts Italy and the top six teams in the world rankings Japan finished sixth overall with a number of veterans retiring afterwards The younger players had to find their own way it appears this group has started to figure it out with promising signs a year ahead of Milano Cortina Wajima, who scored twice for the second game in succession, added, “We watched the game before together and went back to the dressing rooms, determined to get it done today. We were fired up. “This past year, there were good times, hard times. But we never lost sight of our goal, which was to win on this stage right here. I’m glad - both individually and as a team - that we were always on the right path.” Picture by IIHF/Reiji NagayamaClara Rozier of France takes aim against the People's Republic of China France bounced back from their 7-1 defeat to Japan a day earlier by pouring it on late against China allowing the French a window of opportunity Margot Huot-Marchand broke the deadlock near the end of the second period with Julia Mesplede doubling France's lead two minutes into the third Emma Nonnenmacher scored a third with just over 10 minutes to go to all but seal the win before China pulled one back through Wang Jiaxin But Lea Villiot rounded things off for France five minutes from time France head coach Gregory Tarle said Thursday’s lopsided loss was unexpected but praised his team for staying on the heels of Japan going into Sunday’s final game against Poland “We didn't make a bad game but I think Japan played very well with the puck and made good passes and they are very good in front of the net and score goals,” Tarle said seven goals is a big difference but we had to be ready for the next game and we have done that against China." Top Page > Press Release 2025 > Sunflower Kamuy the 1st LNG-fueled Ferry on Oarai-Tomakomai Route (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that on January 21 owned by MOL and operated by its group company MOL Sunflower Ltd (President & CEO: Hirotoshi Ushioku; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku The vessel will serve the Oarai-Tomakomai route between Ibaraki Prefecture and Hokkaido as a replacement for the Sunflower Daisetsu The MOL Group aims to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, and in line with the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2," the group will continue to pursue a strategy of adopting clean alternative fuels to achieve decarbonization and low carbon emissions The group not only leads the way in environmental responsiveness in the coastal ferry business but also continues to research and study the use of new fuels as alternatives to LNG in the future intending to be the first in the industry to take a proactive approach * Press releases related to Sunflower Kurenai 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Advertisements Marubeni Institute Company Profile Print 2024Hokkaido Electric Power CompanyHokkaido Mitsui Chemicals Inc.IHI CorporationMarubeni CorporationMitsui & Co. the “six companies”)  will conduct a joint study for the establishment of a large-scale ammonia supply chain based in the Tomakomai area of Hokkaido (hereinafter the “study”) and have received a “Subsidy for Measures to Promote the Introduction of Non-Fossil Energy (Hydrogen Supply Infrastructure Development Project)” for fiscal year 2024 Trade and Industry (METI) Agency for Natural Resources and Energy The six companies proposed the study in response to a public call for applications by the Consortium for Resilient Omni-energy Supply System (CROS) The public call for subsidy applications was conducted with the aim of promoting the creation of large-scale demand for the use of hydrogen and other resources and establishing a supply chain that enables economical as part of a joint study announced in April this year for the establishment of an ammonia supply chain based in the Tomakomai area of Hokkaido,*3 the six companies will study the necessary specifications of facilities for cargo handling (receiving and shipping) and storing in tanks at ammonia supply bases consider the business feasibility of the location as a base and survey low carbon ammonia demand and its development the six companies aim to launch an ammonia business based in the Tomakomai area by 2030 they will work towards establishing an ammonia supply chain spanning the broader northern Japan region thereby expanding the use of ammonia and contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society and the development of the economy but will be entrusted by Tomakomai Futo Co. to study the feasibility of using ammonia for logistics and industrial applications using lorries in Hokkaido 3 Marubeni news release dated April 25, 2024, “Commencement of a Joint Study for the Establishment of an Ammonia Supply Chain Based in the Tomakomai Area of Hokkaido”:  https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2024/info/00024.html 4 Only the leading company conducting the study is directly listed here Back Read the full story on SportsLook - Smile Japan Will Be All Business in Pursuit of 4th Straight Olympic Ice Hockey Berth Head coach Yuji Iizuka says an improved offense will be the key when Smile Japan aims to secure its fourth straight women's Olympic ice hockey berth at a final qualifying tournament on home ice China and Poland in the February 6-9 round-robin tournament at Nepia Ice Arena in Tomakomai where only the team that finishes first will advance to the 2026 Milano Cortina Games Seven teams have already qualified for the 10-nation tournament at the 2026 Games: Canada Switzerland and Russia have already secured berths along with Italy The participation of Russia depends on whether it is allowed to return to the IIHF World Championship program two additional qualifying tournaments are being held at the same time in Gavle Japan is the highest-ranked at No 7 but Iizuka said his team isn't about to rely on that "We expect a very tough competition," Iizuka said at a press conference announcing his 23-member roster "We are the top seed and the host but we can't think about that Poland and China all have the ability to secure an Olympic berth." For years Japan relied on stalwarts like Hanae Kubo and Haruka Toko but those players have been replaced by a new crop of rising stars Instead of Kubo and Toko, Japan will be counting heavily on forwards like Hikaru Yamashita, who plays in the domestic league, and Akane Shiga who is now in the Swedish Women's Hockey League after a season with Ottawa in the Professional Women's Hockey League three assists) in five games at the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship "I hope to be able to take advantage of my shooting ability to score some goals in this tournament." Continue reading the full story on SportsLook Author: Jim Armstrong The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " ran aground at Tomakomai West Port in Tomakomai on Tuesday as it was about to arrive at the port please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent According to the Tomakomai Coast Guard Station and other authorities was en route from Hachinohe Port in Aomori Prefecture to Tomakomai West Port when its bow section ran aground on a vanishing wave block near the port entrance The ferry had about 140 passengers and crew on board Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Please log in and check your service registration status.To cancel your subscription 1) === '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";");else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} Today's print edition Home Delivery Chiba bears the dubious distinction of emitting the most carbon dioxide out of Japan’s 47 prefectures One possible solution as the country pushes toward its carbon neutrality goal A long pipeline stretching across the prefecture which would transport captured CO2 so it can be buried offshore 1,000 to 3,000 meters below the seabed.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); That’s the vision of a public-private initiative that aims to capture 2% of the prefecture’s emissions by 2030 — and potentially more in the future The Chiba project is just one of nine “advanced” carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects that the government-owned Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) selected in July 2024 in order to evaluate the feasibility of CCS in Japan’s energy transition all with an eye to commercialization by 2030 If given the go-ahead through a final investment decision planned for the fiscal year beginning April 2026 five of the projects will store captured CO2 domestically with the remaining four sending it overseas The government and industry hope CCS will allow CO2-generating activities that are seen as economically vital to continue operating — at least to some extent as they have done — even as the country works to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 And the government is investing billions of yen to get CCS off the ground: In fiscal 2023 and 2024 the total budgets for JOGMEC’s advanced CCS projects were ¥23.9 billion (roughly $152 million at current exchange rates) and ¥33.2 billion But the technology isn’t without controversy Some critics — citing high costs and lingering uncertainties — say CCS should only play a minimal CCS should not be used as a lifeline for the fossil fuels driving climate change it will have an enormous impact on whether Japan can meet its emission reduction targets,” cautions Ayumi Fukakusa deputy executive director of the nonprofit Friends of the Earth (FOE) Japan Contrary to its contemporary image as a potential climate solution capturing carbon and injecting it underground wasn’t actually invented as a countermeasure against warming it was pioneered in the 1970s by the oil and gas industry which sought to repurpose CO2 for a process called “enhanced recovery” in order to boost extraction 73% of the world’s current carbon capture capacity is used for this purpose according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) The Global CCS Institute reports that a total of 50 CCS projects were operating worldwide in 2024 boasting a capture capacity of 51 million metric tons of CO2 — just 5% of the annual 1 billion metric tons of CO2 that should be captured and stored in the International Energy Agency’s “net-zero emissions by 2050 scenario.” positions CCS as “indispensable for decarbonizing thermal power plants,” and says that it should be “fully utilized” in high-emitting sectors like steel and chemical manufacturing Japan aims to annually store an estimated 120 million to 240 million tons of CO2 by 2050 the high end of which would require establishing roughly 480 injection wells at an estimated cost of ¥5 billion or ¥8 billion per well depending on whether it is on or offshore The five JOGMEC-supported projects that plan to store CO2 off Japan’s coasts are near Hokkaido Most intend to inject the CO2 into saline aquifers — a type of underground rock formation thought to have the largest capacity and greatest safety for CO2 storage — while the Niigata site targets an oil and gas field The Hokkaido-based project is actually a continuation of an existing CCS initiative supported by the government’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization the pilot facility — which cost approximately ¥30 billion to construct — captured roughly 300,000 tons of CO2 and injected it about 1,000 meters below the nearby seabed Operators have been monitoring the site for seepage an issue that has impacted CCS projects overseas operators installed expensive equipment on the ocean floor to receive real-time data the Global CCS Institute’s Japan branch representative the cost of monitoring should be minimized,” he says A JOGMEC spokesperson echoes that sentiment frequency and duration of monitoring across the nine exploratory projects will depend on both regulatory requirements and cost-effectiveness Monitoring plans — still under consideration — may therefore differ by project and by site Although Japan’s new CCS Business Act does require monitoring it does not specify minimum monitoring requirements Alongside further assessment of potential storage sites clarifying CCS’s costs is a major goal of the exploratory projects “The capture technology is ready and emission sources are ready,” Nambo says “The problem is economics: how the project proponents prepare that investment and how to justify the economics for the total operation period.” assessed that Japan has 152.27 gigatons of CO2 storage capacity but so far none of that has been judged economical to access “Government financial support is absolutely necessary” at this stage In a December government estimate of electricity costs in 2040, power generated at CCS-equipped gas and coal power plants was more expensive compared with all renewables (aside from small-scale hydropower and controversial biomass) CCS’s high costs will likely be shouldered by residents whether through increased electricity bills or higher public spending Carbon capture technologies target CO2 generated at various points in the combustion process or capture it directly from the air The JOGMEC-supported projects all plan to use the former the rate of carbon actually captured by that CCS technology is another point of contention between proponents and critics Roughly 95% — or even close to 100% — of CO2 passed through a capture plant can be secured a strategic adviser with the Global CCS Institute “Not all of the CO2 from a facility is passing through the capture plant in most places,” Zapantis explains it’s an economic decision” as to how much CO2 an operator will aim to capture noting that market demand is now dictating capture rates as close to 100% as possible CCS projects to date have only captured a maximum of roughly 80% of the CO2 passed through the capture technology most of the existing carbon capture facilities do not publish .. their actual CO2 capture rates,” a 2023 IEEFA report noted For the nine CCS projects selected by JOGMEC “no target is set for the recovery rate for the total CO2 emissions of the facilities subject to CO2 capture Targets are being considered based on what is reasonable for each facility including their technical and business aspects,” the JOGMEC spokesperson says In addition to achieving meaningful capture rates using CCS as a climate solution means operators also need to find secure locations to keep all the captured carbon stored for at least hundreds of years a strategic energy finance adviser with IEEFA cited the Snohvit CCS project in Norway as an example of what can go wrong projected to have 18 years’ worth of capacity as CO2 was not being absorbed at the predicted rate forcing operators to find alternative storage sites “You can have the best scientists in the world working on planning they don’t know how the CO2 will behave until they start putting it in the ground He adds that “CO2 in the form it’s injected underground .. is highly corrosive,” noting that CO2-induced decay of well casings led to leaks at a seven-year-old CCS site in Illinois leading to the suspension of operations in 2024 45 people in a Mississippi community were hospitalized when a CO2 pipeline ruptured; CO2 displaced the oxygen in the air and caused people to experience breathing difficulties — some fell unconscious CCS has an “excellent safety record” across industry’s “more than half a century of experience transporting very large quantities of CO2 via pipeline.” given the challenges and costs associated with CCS there is a strong debate over just how widely it should be deployed Zapantis says he sees CCS having a role in decarbonizing Japan’s heavy-emitting industries and fossil fuel-dependent power sector Hauber argues CCS should be limited to a small subset of industry where CO2 emissions are an unavoidable byproduct of chemical processes Climate advocates also question Japan’s CCS plans “CCS should certainly not be used in the power sector where other options for decarbonization are available,” says FOE’s Fukakusa the challenges of storing CO2 underground are the same,” she adds “There still hasn’t been sufficient assessment of which emission sources actually need CCS.” The four projects aiming to bury CO2 overseas are targeting sites in Malaysia Oil and gas giants ExxonMobil and Petronas are among those involved The CO2 captured in Japan would need to be transported via a fleet of specialized ships which are still being developed and tested Domestic testing using a single vessel began late last year as part of the Tomakomai project Although exporting carbon is new territory for Japan Nambo and Zapantis note that the proposed cross-border projects are straight from the government and industry’s playbook involving long-term investment in and relationships with overseas partners to ensure multiple sources of a given resource “JOGMEC has supported Japanese private companies to secure equity for energy development coal and mineral resources overseas,” Nambo says adding that this is how they are now approaching CO2 storage sites Many of the cross-border projects plan to use depleted offshore oil and gas fields as storage sites Although JOGMEC says that CO2 from the exploratory projects won’t be used for extracting more fossil fuels IEEFA’s Hauber still cautions that “highly perforated” former extraction sites may not be ideal storage locations “There are a lot of potential exit paths to be identified and managed,” he says “Even if locations of well perforations are known if inferior materials were used or improperly installed a leakage situation like that experienced in Illinois could eventually arise.” If a leak should occur at an overseas storage site “it will be necessary to take measures in accordance with the CCS-related laws and regulations of the country concerned,” JOGMEC says 90 civil society organizations — including 43 from Malaysia Australia and Japan — sent an open letter to the Japanese government asking it to halt its carbon export plans “This is nothing but carbon colonialism,” Fanny Tri Jambore of the nonprofit WALHI Indonesia wrote in a press release accompanying the letter While the JOGMEC-supported projects will give the government and industry more data to help determine how to invest in CCS going forward Fukakusa worries that the technology is being prioritized ahead of proven “The biggest problem is that Japan has no policy to phase out fossil fuels such as coal “Government and industry emphasize CCS and assume it will be used.” In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division the Group G hosts aim to start their final qualifying campaign on the right foot vs France in Tomakomai Picture by ReutersBy Shintaro KanoIn four days the world will find out if “Smile Japan” will still be smiling On the eve of the Women’s Ice Hockey Final Olympic Qualification, though, they’re managing at least a grin. “I can’t wait to play at the Olympics but first things first - we have to get through the week,” Japan captain and three-time Olympian Koike Shiori said on Wednesday (5 February), ahead of their first Group G game against France in Tomakomai, Japan. “We want to win every game and then springboard to the Games.” Added alternate captain Hosoyamada Akane, “It’s been a goal of mine to win a medal at the Milano Olympics but as the captain said, we have to win here first to qualify so the focus now is on this tournament.” three groups being held in three different countries - Japan coach Iizuka Yuji’s women face Poland on Saturday and the People’s Republic of China on Sunday Japan are attempting to qualify for their fourth straight Games and regarded as favourites to top the group The other three teams are all shooting for their Olympic debut But Japan lost to China at last year’s Women’s World Championship and were edged by France as recently as December at the Four Nations tournament It will not be a breeze for the Japanese this week Yet Iizuka remains confident his team will be the ones traveling to Italy one year from now “We’ve got a game tomorrow but we’re not too nervous “We don’t have injuries and we’re in good shape especially for a team like ours that had issues scoring as things were It comes down to whether we can play up to potential or not We focused on being fit and I think we’re as ready as we can be.” Top Page > Press Release 2024 > Naming and Launching Ceremony Held for Sunflower Pirka LNG-fueled Ferry on Oarai-Tomakomai Route -LNG-fueled Tugboat Ishin Supports Launching Operations- (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that on September 4 the naming and launching ceremony was held for the LNG-fueled ferry Sunflower Pirka under construction at Naikai Zosen Corporation (President: Hiroshi Terao; Headquarters: Onomichi-shi Hiroshima Prefecture) by MOL and MOL Group company MOL Sunflower Ltd operated by MOL Group company Nihon Tug-Boat Co. (President: Keizo Tamura; Headquarters: Chuo-ku Kobe) assisted with towing operations during the launch of the ferry a low-carbon fuel that can be put to practical use immediately and lead the world toward the realization of a low-carbon/decarbonized society The ferry was given the name "Sunflower Pirka" by Sueji Shinohara chairman of the Hokuren Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives handling the ceremonial rope-cutting honors The Sunflower Pirka is slated for delivery from Naikai Zosen in April 2025 and will then enter service on the Oarai-Tomakomai route operated by MOL Sunflower the Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki already in service on the Osaka-Beppu route since 2023 which is scheduled to enter service in early 2025 as the first ship on the Oarai-Tomakomai route the MOL Group will operate a fleet of 4 LNG-fueled ferries on East-West routes in Japan Boasting Japan's largest service route network and the most LNG-fueled ferries in operation the group offers stable services in both logistics and passenger services MOL Sunflower as a whole operates 10 ferries and 5 RORO vessels on 6 routes giving the company the Japan's largest ferry fleet and most extensive route network offering reliable service for both logistics and passengers <About the LNG-fueled tugboat 'Ishin'> Owned by MOL and operated by Nihon Tug-Boat this LNG-fueled tugboat is a pioneer in LNG-fueled vessels and was delivered in February 2019 MOL has built a number of LNG-fueled vessels by leveraging the knowledge and expertise gained through the development and operation of the Ishin and this knowledge is greatly utilized on the newly launched LNG-fueled ferry Sunflower Pirka The towing of the ferry by the Ishin for the launching ceremony was a symbolic operation that passed the baton of knowledge accumulated thus far to the next generation The MOL Group aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and will continue to pursue its "Adoption of Clean Alternative Fuels" strategy to achieve decarbonization and low carbon emissions in line with the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2." The group will lead the way in environmental responsiveness in the coastal ferry business and continue to research and examine the use of new fuels as alternatives to LNG in the future * Press releases/announcements related to Oarai-Tomakomai route Sunflower Kamuy and Sunflower Pirka * Press releases related to Osaka-Beppu route; Sunflower Kurenai Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - Japan's First Underground Carbon Capture and Storage Facility Unveiled in Hokkaido Japan CCS (JCCS) a company funded by major power companies and oil development firms to promote carbon capture and storage (CCS) has a groundbreaking project well underway JCCS showed its CO2 storage facility in Tomakomai The facility in Tomakomai captures and separates the CO2 generated at a nearby oil refinery The CO2 is then injected into geological formations more than 1,000 meters below the seabed through wells drilled from onshore monitoring has continued to ensure CO2 is not leaking from the wells Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth to learn more about the future prospects of the CCS project in Hokkaido And find more great articles on the environment and the challenges of achieving the SDGs on our affiliated website Japan 2 Earth (J2E) sparking a transition to a sustainable future (Read the article in Japanese.) You must be logged in to post a comment PR China beat Poland in a shootout in the first game Picture by IIHF/Reiji NagayamaBy Shintaro KanoJapan admitted they were nervous Frightening for their competition to think what they can do when they’re not pulverising France 7-1 to top Group G after the first day of action in Tomakomai the People’s Republic of China edged Poland 3-2 following a shootout Ito Makoto opened the floodgates by hitting the back of the net after just two minutes Wajima Yumeka scored twice after that in the first period before Japan compounded the damage the rest of the way Ito struck netted again in the second period while Koyama Remi Noro Riri and Seki Kanami chipped in with a goal each as the Japanese took a strong first step towards their fourth consecutive Olympic appearance Julia Mesplede scored a consolation for France “I’m really glad we were able to come away with a win and a smile on our faces,” Ito said we talked about the importance of the first five minutes and as soon as I got the puck I wanted to be aggressive so I took a shot It led to a goal which I like to think spurred us to a good first five minutes “Some of us couldn’t eat because they were so nervous but I wasn’t too bad They outclassed France in every facet of the game which must have rocket-boosted their confidence for Saturday against Poland who are the lowest ranked team in the group “We have three games to play,” Ito said. “If we win them all, the ticket to the Olympics is ours, plain and simple. We focus on one game at a time and hopefully that will get us there.” Picture by IIHF/Reiji NagayamaThe Chinese drew first blood after 16 minutes through Hu Jiayi but only for the Poles to equalise three minutes later thanks to Anna Kot A barren second period led to an intense third when But three minutes to the end of regulation Poland again pulled level as Maja Brzezinska scored on the power play Neither side could break the deadlock in overtime to invite a shootout marked by misses galore China collecting two points ahead of Saturday’s game against France Head coach Dan Reja seemed content with the win despite missing his captain Yu Baiwei I think we put it to them pretty much the whole entire game,”Reja said “We just made some mistakes that we didn't want to make We have our captain out of the lineup right now big down for us but I think we pulled through manage the puck a little bit better you but we did a lot of good things “We're really happy with the girls' work ethic and you know we just got to manage our ice time a little bit better Top Page > Information > President & CEO Hashimoto Addresses Maritime Nation Forum in Tomakomai Hokkaido - Showcasing the Group's Initiatives to Realize a Decarbonized Society - (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that President & CEO Hashimoto took the stage at the 34th Maritime Nation Forum (Note 1) hosted by the Japan Maritime Center (Chairman: Masafumi Shukuri Tokyo) to highlight MOL's initiatives toward the realization of a decarbonized society and drew about 200 maritime professionals from industry and academia from Hokkaido and other parts of Japan Lectures and panel discussions on the theme of "Aiming for a Zero Carbon Society: Challenges of Decarbonization in the Maritime Industry," introduced new trends in the maritime field and case studies of corporate initiatives MOL demonstrated its commitment to working with local communities to achieve a decarbonized society while presenting various projects such as capital alliance in the wind power generation maintenance business with Hokutaku Co. the LNG-fueled ferry service between Oarai and Tomakomai (Note 3) Daibiru's redevelopment project around the south exit of Sapporo Station (Note 4) The MOL Group has positioned environmental strategy as a key element of its management plan "BLUE ACTION 2035," and set the target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 under the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2." As a pioneering multimodal ocean shipping group it will work with the international market and local communities to promote the adoption of clean alternative fuels and the spread and promotion of renewable energy sources in the push toward the realization of decarbonization (Note 1) Organized by the Japan Maritime Center since 2007 the event aims to promote a broad public understanding of the significance of the maritime sector and plays an important role as a forum for introducing new initiatives and technologies in the sector and discussing concrete actions for regional revitalization and environmental protection The event also plays an important role as a forum for discussing specific actions to revitalize the region and protect the environment and Tomakomai Futo have started a joint study for the establishment of an ammonia supply chain based in the Tomakomai area of Hokkaido The parties will work on studies related to the establishment of facilities for receiving storing and supplying ammonia from overseas in the Tomakomai area as well as surveys aimed at expanding the use of ammonia throughout Northern Japan the Tomakomai area has vast land available for the installation of facilities required for the establishment of an ammonia supply chain such as the possibility of adding storage tanks to meet future demand increases the area has shipping routes accessible to both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean enabling the supply of ammonia not only to demand sites close to the Tomakomai area but also to hydrogen demand sites throughout Northern Japan by utilizing domestic vessels and other means including surveys related to carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects and the establishment of a hydrogen supply chain are advancing towards the realization of a zero-carbon city the six companies are discussing the establishment of an ammonia supply chain with Kushiro Power Station Nippon Beet Sugar Manufacturing and Oenon Holdings which are potential customers for ammonia utilization IHI said that the companies will continue to work towards the realization of projects that can contribute to the decarbonization of the area and economic development with the cooperation of Hokkaido and Tomakomai City a combination of both public and private sectors Lines (MOL) started a joint study for the establishment of an ammonia supply base in the Soma area in addition to researching to form a base for importing storing and supplying clean ammonia from overseas in the Soma area of Fukushima Prefecture the companies will also conduct a demand survey of hydrogen and ammonia for establishing a wide-area supply base for ammonia Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas The performance of new and existing jack-ups The Global Inbound Group (GIG) is a specialist group established to respond to the various needs of foreign companies developing business in Japan We focus on differences of our members and “Equity” to ensure the fair and respectful environment to achieve the true inclusion We have various kinds of systems and supporting initiatives so all the members can continue to pursue own career paths in diverse ways -especially upon life related events the world's pioneering CCUS project is underway in Tomakomai involving the local community and many industries The Port of Tomakomai is home to a major petroleum value chain and Japan‘s first CO2 capture and storage facility coupled with abundant renewable potential of Hokkaido the project aims to realize a carbon-recycling business through cross-industry collaboration Grand design of the Tomakomai CCUS project based on inter-industry collaboration it is not realistic to build all the infrastructure at once since this plan involves large-scale infrastructure development and some of the technologies under consideration are not commercially available at this time we developed a scenario in which technically established and economically feasible technologies will be introduced initially and gradually expand deployments (Figure 2) A scenario for phased technology implementation in the Tomakomai CCUS project and storage (CCUS) is attracting attention as a means of achieving carbon neutrality By capturing CO2 and effectively utilizing it CCUS plays an essential role in achieving carbon neutrality as it helps to reduce CO2 emissions that cannot be reduced through the use of renewable energy or hydrogen Services include support for consortium formation To contact Deloitte regarding carbon neutrality and CCUS "study") for the establishment of an ammonia supply chain based in the Tomakomai area of Hokkaido The six companies will work on studies related to the establishment of facilities for receiving and supplying ammonia from overseas in the Tomakomai area Ammonia is expected to contribute to decarbonization in a wide range of fields including its use as fuel in the power generation sector and as fuel/feedstock in the industrial sector ammonia is promising for its characteristics as a hydrogen carrier and storage of ammonia have already been established for fertilizer and industrial applications the use of ammonia can contribute to the realization of a hydrogen society as the same technologies can be used to transport and store hydrogen which is difficult to transport and store on its own in large quantities over long distances where the six companies aim to develop a base has vast land available for the installation of facilities required for the establishment of an ammonia supply chain as the largest marine transportation hub in Northern Japan The six companies will utilize their respective technologies and expertise to establish an ammonia supply chain in the broader Northern Japan region aiming to expand the use of ammonia and contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society the six companies will continue to work towards the realization of projects that can contribute to the decarbonization of the area and economic development combination of both public and private sectors * CCS = Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage Establish a foundation for sustainable and stable supply Cultivate societies that respect human rights Empower our people to build brighter futures COPYRIGHT © 1996-2025 MITSUI & CO. Event At music festivals and outdoor festivals held in the great outdoors of Hokkaido Here are 15 of Hokkaido's best summer festivals from well-known festivals to those being held for the first time this year Why not make the best memories in Hokkaido this summer This outdoor rock festival is one of the four biggest festivals in Japan and is representative of Hokkaido It started in 1999 as Japan's first full-scale all-night outdoor rock festival With a variety of stages of different sizes built across the vast land of Ishikari and surrounded by the scenery and atmosphere of Hokkaido It was established in 2010 as an event that combines music Many artists will perform on a total of five indoor and outdoor stages The food court serves gourmet food made with local ingredients from Iwamizawa and Minami Sorachi There is also an adjacent amusement park with over 40 attractions so you can enjoy the festival in a variety of ways PMF (Pacific Music Festival) is a classical music festival held in various locations from indoors in concert halls to outdoor performances on outdoor stages This outdoor event allows you to enjoy the fantastical sea fog There will also be live DJ performances and performances by famous artists where you can enjoy gourmet food unique to Kushiro and a barbecue corner where anyone can come empty-handed The festival will be held at a venue surrounded by cliffs called Ganke Feel," the event is packed with the charms of Shintoku Town which was selected as Saunaer of the Year 2022 and gourmet food made with Tokachi ingredients This is a new outdoor event in Sapporo with the theme of "CRAFT: A Boat Made by Everyone." The appeal of this event is that you can enjoy music In addition to the individual performances of the artists you can also enjoy special live performances that you don't usually get to see will be hosting its first outdoor live music event where you can enjoy music and the outdoors Live music will be held on the stage at WIND PLAZA and tent sites will be set up for camping in the Escon Field Other outdoor events and SUP experiences will also be held making it a fun event for the whole family held for the first time at Furano Ski Resort is based on the concept of "Resonating with the Five Senses - MIX ENTERTAINMENT -" and combines music Artists from various genres will gather from Japan and abroad to heat up the Furano Basin it is an event that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike with gourmet food made with Furano ingredients A homely festival held under the 360-degree blue sky of Sorachi With the theme of "Festival x Picnic = Fesnic," where you can enjoy music while relaxing on the grass in the great outdoors there will be live performances by artists as well as delicious gourmet food from Hokkaido This year's motto is "Kodomo Odoru," and there are plans for a variety of content that can be enjoyed by both adults and children A multi-purpose entertainment festival that makes the most of Tomakomai City's attractive location making it a fun event for people of all ages and genders The venue is divided into a paid area where you can enjoy live artist performances and a free area with a mini stage and food and various content will be held in each area An event where you can enjoy various performances such as music The stage performances by artists gathered from all over the world which will be held on five stages and six areas and miscellaneous goods will also be gathered from all over the world at the venue Don't miss the moment the sun goes down and the performances with the night view spreading out before you The night sky of Ashibetsu will be lit up with music there will also be live performances by musicians and stage performances by civic groups there will also be a row of stalls selling local specialties and authentic gourmet food A festival inviting various creators to take place in the rich nature of Lake Toya such as food and drink stalls from inside and outside Toyako Town Bonfires are also prepared at the campsite so you can enjoy a relaxing camping experience Otaru's annual summer outdoor music event The venue is the parking lot of the Otaru Port Pier 3 Cruise Ship Terminal where you can enjoy music while feeling the sea breeze up close Bands that perform come from nearby areas such as Sapporo and Otaru and they will perform a variety of music genres This event was created with the desire to "warm up the city of Tomakomai heating up the center of Tomakomai under the motto "Become a beacon of pride for the city." Expanding the circle of exchange in Minami-ku a community market created by students together with the local community [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels Enjoy seasonal spring gourmet food and Golden Week 10 recommended events in Hokkaido [May 2025] 5 recommended events in Sapporo [May 2nd - 6th 5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025] [2025 Edition] 16 Flower Events in Hokkaido: Cherry blossoms Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service By Nathanial Gronewold | 07/05/2018 01:14 PM EDT Japan — Sign of the times in rural Japan: “Be alert for bears!” A brown bear at a fishing camp in Shiretoko National Park Japan — Abandoned ballfields and a wooded riverfront greenway bring surprise visitors to the eastern fringes of this port city Tomakomai residents have reported seeing bears wandering their streets at least 18 times in recent months including a sighting near the Numanohata train station June 27 of a large brown bear the Asian cousin of North America’s grizzly police say a man whose body was found in the woods last month was likely killed by a bear "The bears’ habitat is expanding," said Hidenobu Kataishi chief of the Department of Environmental Health in this city of 175,000 people While still extremely rare in a country with 127 million people bear encounters are on the rise across rural Japan At least 522 people were attacked by bears from 2012 to 2017 according to Japan’s Ministry of the Environment there have been 880 bear attacks and 24 human fatalities (While there’s no single source of data on U.S Alaska’s KTUU TV compiled data from various sources showing 27 fatal bear attacks on people since 2000.) Authorities in Japan blame the high rate of bear attacks on the shrinking number of people living in the countryside and the Japanese affinity for harvesting edible plants in the wild during the spring and fall as bears are either exiting or preparing for hibernation "In bad years, you’ll see 150 people injured," said Toshio Tsubota, a wildlife biologist at Hokkaido University in Sapporo (see related story) "People’s knowledge of bears is limited Authorities throughout Japan have been working hard to get the word out "Be alert for bears!!" screams a flyer distributed by the government of Akita prefecture which is about the size of Connecticut but has a much smaller population "Please check the prefectural home page for information on bear sightings." The leaflet explains the importance of taking measures to avoid encounters with bears and lists the 38 locations where bears had either injured or killed people within the prefecture in a span of two years four Akita residents were killed and three injured within two weeks in the northeastern corner of the prefecture Human-wildlife conflict usually arises when development sprawls into the habitats of wild animals animals venture into places where people live But experts in Japan insist theirs is a special case As the human population ages and slightly declines bringing animals closer to shrinking cities The newly emboldened animals are running into the remaining rural residents "The mountain settlements are losing human population and at the same time the bears’ habitat range is expanding," said Yoshiaki Izumiyama a wildlife protection official for the Akita prefectural government the rising number of shrinking human settlements near bear territory is closely connected Hiroshi Matsuyama ventured into the woods early one morning just outside his home in Shiranuka a town on the southern coast of Hokkaido about 160 miles east of Tomakomai Sunset came and the 73-year-old Matsuyama failed to return home Authorities discovered his remains not far from the city limits one of Hokkaido’s famous higuma — a subspecies of Asian brown bear Spring in Japan is marked by blooming cherry blossoms and sansai-tori — mountain foraging or vegetable harvesting a popular pastime for older Japanese and seen here in northern Japan as a way of celebrating the end of winter Enthusiasts follow up in the autumn by picking wild edible mushrooms in the forests before winter settles in That’s what Matsuyama was doing when the bear attacked Identified in news reports as a "part-time worker," Matsuyama was an enthusiast of spring sansai-tori and fall kinoko mushroom hunting The body found last month in Akita has only been identified in media reports as that of a 78-year-old man who was also on a wild vegetable foraging mission before he was reported missing June 18 sansai-tori clubs recommend that people enjoy the hobby only in groups Aomori prefecture launched an initiative to raise awareness of the tsukinowa-guma the Asian black bear subspecies responsible for the four deaths in Akita in the spring of 2016 Nine people were attacked and injured by black bears in Aomori last year a 66-year-old man was attacked and injured by a brown bear during a foraging excursion outside Hakodate a string of bear sightings were reported to the authorities in Tomakomai a black bear mauled a man in Iwate prefecture More sightings and news alerts followed — from Gunma prefecture Kataishi of the Tomakomai conservation office personally investigated one area where frequent bear sightings were reported and later determined they were multiple sightings of the same bears two cub siblings seemingly unafraid of people most of his job involves trying to raise awareness levels as high as possible He said residents shouldn’t be surprised to see bears in certain areas at all hours "Usually you would only see them at dawn or dusk In Japan’s boom years — roughly from the end of the Korean War to the 1990s — developers carved up the countryside It’s nature starting to swallow the edges of developed areas "And that’s bringing bears closer to areas where humans are still living," Tsubota at Hokkaido University explained "And if in that area there isn’t any food they will wander even farther in search of food and will run into humans." and the city is sprinkled with verdant parks Information on nature and the presence of bears features prominently on the city government’s website but Kataishi said residents of Tomakomai and surrounding areas don’t seem to be getting accustomed to bears becoming part of their environment the vast majority of Tomakomai’s residents won’t ever encounter bears," he said they may understand that there are bears around so it’s likely that the majority of residents are indifferent." Tomakomai’s neighboring communities have bigger problems than animal intrusions According to Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in 2000 the population of Abira was estimated at 9,438 and today the population is estimated at 8,115 The ministry projects Abira’s population will be closer to 6,800 by 2025 should the trend continue the town government is tracking another precipitous decline in population Shiraoi put its combined population — inside town limits and rural areas — at 19,796 Both Shiraoi and Abira are trying to entice families to move to their communities it’s not uncommon for smaller cities and towns to offer incentives for newcomers including financial support for education and housing Homebuilding companies say Shiranuka is even offering free land in exchange for people settling there the appeal of small-town living and community-building events like Abira’s 10th annual Umaka Festival better-equipped governments are mobilized to get the word out City and prefectural governments across Japan’s northernmost regions have spent this spring and summer alerting residents to the presence of bears emerging from hibernation The efforts have become more urgent in recent years news alerts and updated detailed reports with elaborate digital maps are all being employed to educate the public about where bears are being spotted and how best to avoid encountering them Hokkaido’s central government ran a public awareness campaign from April 1 to May 31 Materials distributed for the campaign feature charts showing how the vast majority of injuries and deaths occur during the spring sansai-tori season The island’s residents are urged to check public notices of bear sightings prior to going out and to not travel alone or hike around dusk or dawn People are also urged to bring all food and trash back with them and to turn back immediately at the sight of bear droppings or tracks Kataishi organizes a group of about 20 hunters to go on patrols along the city’s edges from July through September If evidence of a bear’s presence is found Kataishi himself says he’s only seen a bear in town once since beginning these patrols: a young pair spotted in a university research area Tsubota at Hokkaido University is convinced Hokkaido’s brown bear population is rising and he suspects the same is happening on Honshu with the black bear The experts in Akita prefecture in northern Honshu "It’s not that there is any rapid increase in the bear population," Izumiyama explained the area of suitable habitat near their present range is expanding creating the misconception that the [bear] population is on the rise While most conflicts arise with tsukinowa-guma even though higuma are only found in Hokkaido According to the Ministry of the Environment’s statistics encounters with black bears have resulted in the vast majority of injuries but one stands a greater chance of dying in meeting an Asian brown bear Kataishi said the higuma bears spotted venturing from the forests encircling Tomakomai can typically be about 6 ½ feet tall when standing upright the brown bear is much larger," said Tsubota "If you have a chance encounter with one it’s easier for one to kill you." Hokkaido still memorializes the Sankebetsu higuma incident of 1915 enraged brown bear awoken from hibernation killed seven residents of a small village near present-day Tomamae Legend holds the bear standing nearly 9 feet tall and weighing some 750 pounds It’s partly because of this legend that many Japanese still see bears as enemies to be kept back authorities have responded to the incursions by attempting to maintain a strict wall of separation between the humans and brown bears known to live in the mountains on the city’s southwestern edges Warnings are issued not just for confirmed bear sightings but even when bear scat or fur is detected police recently closed a section of Nishinonishi Park in Sapporo for two weeks after bear droppings were found there Often the response is to simply put the bears down The brown bear deemed responsible for last October’s death in Shiranuka was felled by two hunters a few days after Matsuyama’s body was recovered Sapporo is also said to be unafraid to use lethal means to address the issue Tomakomai’s approach is more nuanced Kataishi’s office tells residents it’s fine for them to venture into the hills for sansai-tori but carefully reminds them that for the bears Kataishi said he doesn’t blame the bears for what happened in Akita two years ago "Of course people will think the bear that attacked is the problem," he said Tomakomai’s philosophy is echoed throughout the conservation community here officials don’t speak of human-animal conflict but rather of "coexistence." Though awareness campaigns are most intense in the spring and fall information and education initiatives continue throughout the year Tomakomai has reported no injuries from any bears encountered in the city or on its fringes but Kataishi fears his city’s luck may be running out He worries that someday a careless hiker might leave behind food encouraging a bear to associate the scents of food and humans together Izumiyama with Akita’s conservation office takes a more optimistic view "Among our strategies for addressing the bear problem we can’t expect much in terms of results in the short term," he said then we can expect to see it becoming less likely for bear-human incidents to occur; at least Request a FREE trial to receive unlimited access to Pavel Kubes - Czech Republic vs Japan - 2015 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships Host Japan enter the 2016 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships B-Pool ranked No whom they are expected to face for gold in Tomakomai The Czech Republic has been the spoiler for Japan beating them 5-1 for seventh place at the Worlds A-Pool (both teams were relegated to the B-Pool) and then in the recent Four Nations tournament But Japan would hope home-ice advantage will pay off They have been building up to reach the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games players from Japan got in some key international competition experience when they formed part of Team Pan Pacific at the first ever Pan Pacific Championships Kazuhiro Takahashi was one of the star players at the 2015 Worlds A-Pool but his performance was not enough to keep his team from relegation The forward has vowed to get them to the PyeongChang 2018 Qualification Tournament and win a medal at home in Tomakomai Defenseman Satoru Sudo has also been in helping developing Japan’s national athletes at training camps The 2016 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships B-Pool will feature Japan the Czech Republic and Great Britain between 28 November – 3 December The top three teams will progress to the qualification tournament for PyeongChang 2018 All team previews for the World Championships B-Pool, set to get underway in Tomakomai, Japan, can be viewed at the event website Introducing the Sojitz employees continually taking on new challenges to create new value for society caravan is a media platform that aims to bring new discoveries to present-day explorers Consumer Industry & Agriculture Business Division Sojitz Corporation (“Sojitz”) and Nippon Paper Industries Co. (“Nippon Paper”) jointly established a biomass power plant business which began construction of a biomass power plant in May 2020 Construction has now been completed on the biomass fueled power plant (74.95MW) which stands as one of the largest biomass power plants in Japan the power plant starts its commercial operations on February 2 Supplying electricity through biomass power generation Please contact us if you would like to know more details Door-to-door service to Tomakomai Port from 22 countries/regions worldwide will be adding an import consolidated transport service to its Korea Multi-Country/regions Consolidation (MCC) Service* from May 18 Multi-Country/regions Consolidation (MCC) ServiceA service that conveys cargo bound for multiple destinations (countries/regions) from Japan to a hub port for transshipment/consolidation and forwarding In October 2013 Nippon Express launched its Korea MCC Service that accepts small-lot cargo at local ports in Japan especially those on the Sea of Japan coast and exports it to destinations worldwide via Busan This service was first offered at five ports - Tomakomai Fushiki-toyama and Kanazawa - but the ports of Naoetsu and Hakata have since been added to enable shipments from seven ports in Japan to 36 ports in 21 other countries/regions the aforementioned export consolidation service is being supplemented by a new import consolidation service initially available at Tomakomai The Nippon Express Group will aggregate cargo from multiple customers in 56 cities in 22 countries/regions who are shipping less than full container loads and transport this cargo safely and securely door-to-door Nippon Express intends to expand this service to other ports as customer demand freight for shipments from Singapore CFS to Tomakomai CFS (using Nippon Express services) would be reduced significantly The 2016 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships B-Pool will be held at the Hakucho Oji Ice Arena in Tomakomai IPC Ice Sledge Hockey has announced that the next World Championships B-Pool will take place in Tomakomai Great Britain and hosts Japan will try to claim gold with the top three teams also progressing to the qualification tournament for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games can be found at www.paralympic.org/tomakomai-2016 Chief Executive Officer of the International Paralympic Committee said: “I have no doubt that the Worlds B-Pool will be an excellent competition as teams go for gold at the Hakuchou Oji Ice Arena “The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games are also edging ever closer and teams will be looking to put themselves in the best possible position to have a shot at qualification “We are grateful to the Japan Ice Sledge Hockey Association (JISHA) for organising this event It will bring one of the most exciting spectacles to Japan providing yet another opportunity for people to experience Para sport ahead of an important period for the country and Asia in general with three editions of the Paralympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games looming.” Kojin Nakakita from the JISHA said: “We are honoured and proud to host the World Championship B Pool in Tomakomai city “Tomakomai is one big ice hockey town in Hokkaido where the entire city welcomes IPC Ice Sledge Hockey and all the participants from Czech Republic “The road to Pyeong Chang starts from here Let’s enjoy playing and have a wonderful time in Czech Republic currently sit at the top of the B-Pool rankings after their relegation from the A-Pool following the 2015 World Championships A-Pool in Buffalo During their seventh-placed game in Buffalo Czech Republic ousted Japan 5-1 to set-up a thrilling competition for this edition of the Worlds B-Pool Tomakomai 2016 will be played in a round robin format with the medal games played on 3 December The first games will take place on 29 November South Korea were promoted to the A-Pool alongside Sweden after they beat the European side in the gold medal game their first medal on the major international stage Top Page > Press Release 2022 > LNG-fueled Tugboat Ishin Undergoes LNG Bunkering Trial in Tomakomai Port - Contributing to Development of LNG Bunkering Ports and Wider Use of LNG Fuel - (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that it cooperated an LNG bunkering trial in Tomakomai Port jointly conducted by Tomakomai Port Authority (President Mayor of Tomakomai City: Hirofumi Iwakura; Address: Tomakomai-City Hokkaido) and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. (Representative Director and President: Masahiro Fujita; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku The trial involved the LNG-fueled tugboat Ishin (Note 1) owned by MOL and operated by its Group company Nihon Tug-Boat Co. (President: Tetsuro Nishio; Headquarters: Chuo-ku MOL Group MOL Marine & Engineering Co. (President: Takashi Nakashima; Headquarters: Minato-ku Tokyo) cooperated on maritime consulting services for the trial The Ishin is currently engaged in escorting large freighters and other vessels during port calling in/out operations This is the third LNG bunkering trial for the tug following earlier trials in Kobe and Nagoya The LNG fuel was supplied by the truck-to-ship system (Note 2) using tanker trucks which is also used to supply LNG at Sakai-Semboku The MOL Group has moved forward with the "adoption of clean alternative energy" strategy toward de-carbonization/low carbonization in line with "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1," established in June 2021 with the aim of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 LNG fuel is expected to achieve a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions about 25% less carbon dioxide (CO2) in comparison to conventional fuel oils The MOL Group has promoted the introduction of LNG-fueled vessels as "a currently feasible initiative on reducing GHG emissions." The group continually strives to achieve a low- and decarbonized society through its concerted efforts (Note 2) The truck-to-ship LNG bunkering procedure supplies LNG fuel from an LNG truck on shore Telco going big for 14th facility – but details sparse for now Japan’s SoftBank is planning to develop a new data center in Tomakomai City News agency Jiji this week reported that the telecoms giant is looking to invest 40-60 billion yen ($266-400 million) in developing "one of Japan’s largest data centers" in the city but the company is reportedly looking to launch the facility in 2026 SoftBank is said to be targeting a new facility in the northern island of Hokkaido to address concerns around energy consumption amid the growing demands of generative AI An application has been made to the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry seeking subsidies for up to half of the project’s costs SoftBank currently operates 13 data centers across Japan; four in Tokyo As well as offering colocation and hosting services directly SoftBank also offers services through its IDC Frontier subsidiary which operates a number of facilities in the country including the 50MW Tokyo Fuchu Data Center which can support about 4,000 server racks The telco also owns the Internet exchange BBIX and dark fiber company BB Backbone Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia This is the second part in a three-part series about the efforts of Tomakomai to tap into pop culture in an effort to boost tourism which has developed as an industrial and port city Having dropped by 6,000 from its peak year in 2013 depopulation has been a serious issue for Tomakomai the fourth largest city in Hokkaido after Sapporo Asahikawa and Hakodate.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); "The city has been unable to attract businesses in recent years so we began to focus on increasing the number of people who visit Tomakomai in the past ten years or so," recalled Mineyuki Ichimachi chairman of the Tomakomai tourism association Martin Joppa of Slovakia at the Ostersund 2015 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships B-Pool Slovakia could be the surprise team at these Championships They showed strong efforts against Japan and Germany – an A-Pool team – in October’s Four Nations tournament for a third-place finish The team made their major international debut at the 2013 Worlds B-Pool and are poised to improve Two years later and they made it onto the podium for the first time who led his team in scoring in their 6-1 victory over Germany at the Four Nations tournament Defenseman Peter Stit will be a key leader on the ice having made his international debut in 2011 and being part of the team that took bronze at the World Championships B-Pool four years later Top Page > Press Release 2024 > Naming and Launching Ceremony for the Sunflower Kamuy Held 1st LNG-fueled Ferry on Oarai-Tomakomai Route - MOL Group's 3rd LNG-fueled Ferry to Enter Service in Early 2025 (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) and its group company MOL Sunflower Ltd (MOL Sunflower; President & CEO: Hirotoshi Ushioku; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku Tokyo) today announced that the naming and launching ceremony for the first of two LNG-fueled ferries which are under construction at Naikai Zosen Corporation (President: Kosaku Hara; Headquarters: Onomichi-shi was held at Innoshima Shipyard on April 11 The vessel was given its name Sunflower Kamuy by Tomoyasu Marutani The vessel will be delivered at Naikai Shipbuilding in December 2024 and is slated to enter service on the late-night Oarai-Tomakomai route operated by MOL Sunflower in early 2025 The second of the two new vessels is scheduled to enter service on the same route within 2025 the MOL Group will operate a fleet of four LNG-fueled ferries on east-west routes in Japan by 2025 joining the Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki which went into service on the Osaka-Beppu route in 2023 Click the image to view the video of the naming and launching ceremony for the Sunflower Kamuy The vessel will be able to reduce CO2 emissions by about 35% compared to currently in-service vessels on the Hokkaido route by adopting various state-of-the-art technologies in addition to LNG fuel thereby contributing to the reduction of overall CO2 emissions the MOL Group will promote Japan's "Modal Shift" and strive to solve the "2024 problem of logistics," by expanding the loading space for trucks compared to the currently in-service vessels and providing more comfortable space for truck drivers by making all cabins private rooms The MOL Group aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and will continue to carry forward the strategy of "adoption of clean alternative fuels" in line with the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2" to achieve decarbonization and low carbonization In addition to leading the way in environmental responsiveness in the coastal ferry business the group will continue to research and examine the use of new fuels as alternatives to LNG in the future and will continue to actively lead the industry in this area Hard Rock Japan’s Tomakomai office opened to the general public last Wednesday Hard Rock Japan aims to develop a resort in that jurisdiction that can be enjoyed by a wide range of generations from children to seniors with the concept of “Hard Rock Experience” as well as the “Music to DNA” The company remarks that the Hard Rock Experience respects the contemporary culture of Japan and at the same time demonstrates the vision for music hospitality and entertainment that the brand can deliver to Japan in the future As the Hard Rock Integrated Resorts attract guests from Japan and the rest of the world to Hokkaido Tomakomai aims to be a gateway to all areas of Hokkaido and Japan With the establishment of the Tomakomai Branch the firm says it will make further efforts to further expand our activities in the Tomakomai and Hokkaido areas Hard Rock Japan President and CEO Ado Machida explained: “With the opening of the Tomakomai branch we are heading toward the realization of an enjoyable world-class resort for generations of Japanese people We believe this base will allow us even greater opportunity to disseminate information and exchange opinions with the people of Tomakomai but also regional communication about IRs more generally.” Hard Rock first announced its intention to open a Tomakomai office last June but the project was delayed for many months One reason for the delay could be related to the uncertainty in the local political situation until this month’s elections While several other international IR operators have opened offices in Tomakomai the Hard Rock office is the first one equipped with a full-scale showroom Overseen by a single staff member at present the office includes a miniature model of the company’s IR proposal clothes and musical instruments from international stars such as Lady Gaga The opening event on Tuesday was attended by Hard Rock International CEO for Asia Edward Tracy and Hokkaido IR Company President Hiroaki Fujita Canadian Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Japanese Tomakomai Port Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel and the provision of LNG bunkering services at both ports The MOU was signed by representatives of the two port authorities on March 5 the Port of Vancouver and the Port of Tomakomai will actively exchange information and expertise on LNG bunkering including technical procedures and best practices coordinate port requirements and guidelines for LNG bunkering to facilitate the use of LNG marine fuel in the two ports the provision of LNG fuel for ships transiting between the ports of Vancouver and Tomakomai is expected to reduce air emissions from shipping protecting air quality in port communities while also reducing contributions to global climate change the development of LNG bunkering services in the Port of Vancouver and Port of Tomakomai will enable adoption of LNG as a marine fuel by ships engaged in trans-Pacific trade Vancouver Port Completes Shore Power Project to Reduce GHG Emissions Ingersoll Rand Engineering Project Solutions At Ingersoll Rand’s Engineering Project Solutions we have been managing and implementing engineered to-order air packages for complex technical requirements for over 60 years We provide specialized custom compressed air and gas compressors as well as nitrogen generation packages to international EPC contractors and engineering companies across a range of […] Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Teams that will compete will be current top ranked B-Pool team Czech Republic The Hakucho Oji Ice Arena was constructed in 1996 and holds one 60mx30m rink It is the home of the Oji Eagles ice hockey team The city of Tomakomai is located by the Pacific Ocean and has become the fifth largest city in Hokkaido with a population of more than 173,000 Having the “double ports” – Tomakomai Port which is an international hub port and New Chitose Airport which is the air gateway in Hokkaido in its vicinity and favourable transport access (e.g. continuing to grow as an industrial-base playing a major role of Hokkaido’s economic development The city is also attracting nationwide attention as a base for paper/pulp an energy base with an oil storage station and Hokkaido’s largest thermal power plant and a recycling industry base that will lead the next generation Tomakomai boasts a nature-rich environment including extensive forests at the foot of Mt Tarumae and Lake Utonai which is designated as a Ramsar Site South Korea and Sweden were promoted to the A-Pool following their gold and silver respectively from the 2015 Worlds B-Pool South Korea’s Seung-Hwan Jung was named Best Forward of the tournament Five-time Paralympian Niklas Ingvarsson was named the Best Defenceman of the tournament leading all players at his position with seven goals and 10 points Slovakia won bronze – their first-ever medal on the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey stage – after shutting out Austria 3-0 in their final game as the host nation lost to Germany 3-2 in the gold-medal game of the tournament Great Britain beat Estonia 3-2 in the bronze medal match Japan’s Takahashi was named best forward at the Championships and the host nation’s Satoru Sudo was named best defenseman while Poland’s Andrzej Mylnarczyk was picked as the best goalkeeper Takahashi led all players with eight goals and an assist in the tournament while Satoru had four goals and four assists Mylnarczyk recorded an 82 per cent save percentage during the Championships with 105 saves To contact IPC Ice Sledge Hockey, please email icesledgehockey@paralympic.org For media enquiries and information, please contact lucy.dominy@paralympic.org Great Britain will try to qualify for the Paralympic Games for the first time since 2006 The British squad has undergone changes since finishing fifth at the 2015 World Championships B-Pool and avoiding relegation to the C-Pool They are being led under new head coach Ian Offers and a new British Sledge Hockey Association board Veterans Gary Farmer and Matt Clarkson bring plenty of experience for the team having competed at the Worlds B-Pool in 2013 where they helped the team secure the final podium spot Goalie Rob Gaze also returns from that squad as the British prepare for extreme pressure at the net from their opponents This is the first part in a three-part series about the efforts of Tomakomai to tap into pop culture in an effort to boost tourism a group of people in eye-catching outfits suddenly appeared in parks and at shrines in Tomakomai others in white cloaks or military uniforms with swords They smiled and posed for photos with each other.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); This is the last part in a three-part series about the efforts of Tomakomai to tap into pop culture in an effort to boost tourism the creator of the popular manga "Golden Kamuy," which finished its run in April It was his third visit to Tomakomai that year for research for his next work.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); "I can only draw something interesting by seeing the real things on site With the goal of starting operations in the spring of 2025 Venture Whisky aims to take advantage of the area’s water supply The new distillery will sit on almost seven hectares of land in the Tomakomai Eastern Industrial Area and is expected to produce 2.4 million litres of product annually Best known for its “Ichiro’s Malt” craft whisky Venture Whisky became internationally recognised securing first place in the 2016 World Whiskies Award for Best Japanese Single Cask Malt Whisky The company reports that it has been considering the Hokkaido expansion for three to four years Sign up to receive Powderlife and Summerlife Digital Magazines as they are published and select other topics that interests you Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Powderlife is passionate about delivering exceptional service We believe it’s the little things that make a ski holiday so special Let us do the ground work for you and help you plan the perfect holiday Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Unlock exclusive perks as a Powderlife Member A link to set a new password will be sent to your email address Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy © 2007-2025 Powderlife Privacy Terms Cookies ProductionJapanese energy companies launch the country's largest green hydrogen projectEneos Idemitsu Kosan and Hokkaido Electric Power Company plan to build at least 100MW of capacity on Japan’s northernmost island You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter Moving faster than the national government this municipality has launched its "Investment Intention Survey in Relation to Tomakomai City Integrated Resort,” which they are asking prospective operators to return to them before September 22 of this year The briefing session pulled in more than fifty people representing IR operators and others considering bids with the Tomakomai city government was not given by the city’s International Resort Strategy Office the audit corporation working for the municipal government Comunicação social - todos os direitos reservados In February, Hokkaido made the decision not to include the costs for a future IR bid in its annual accounting and operating budget at first clarified his stance that he was considering Tomakomai city and businesses who wanted to proceed and as such wanted to include costs in the budget he also had to take into account the growing opposition to its inclusion as well as public criticism of IRs following corruption allegations in the Diet The Hokkaido government had been aiming for an IR bid but has now been forced to reconsider its policy given how the decision has been received in the prefecture and the aforementioned corruption cases which was actively participating in the venture Kamori Kanko (Sapporo) was intending to enter into an IR business partnership with Chinese company 500.com to operate a hotel and ski resort ruining his reputation and ensuring that proceeding with a bid was no longer possible “The city council will have some questions regarding the budget and IR but there is no plan for a comment from Mayor Hirofumi Iwakura at the moment.” in response to whether there would be budgetary consideration to IRs in the future “We plan a large-scale development using the MA platform (Minato and to proceed with the international resort concept promoted by the city “We are thinking about the future of our city with the declining birthrate and aging population.” His election promise is tied to an IR bid and the local business community has been actively lobbying with the IR Promotion Council but it seems he is becoming increasingly reluctant to go down the IR path Thailand’s Entertainment Complex journey is at a critical point with the success or failure of the initiative to be determined.. 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Citigroup’s monthly Macau premium mass table survey took place during this year’s May Day Golden Week holiday with analysts George Choi and Timothy Chau claiming to have witnessed a number of all-time survey records Macau welcomed a total of 850,034 visitor arrivals during the five-day Labour Day holiday at an average of just over 170,000 visitors per day This year’s May Golden Week ran from 1 to 5 May © 2005-2024 Inside Asian Gaming Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2005-2024 Inside Asian Gaming Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki met with Tomakomai City Mayor Hirofumi Iwakura on Monday where he confirmed his preference to refrain from applying to develop one of Japan’s first integrated resorts With applications for one of the first three licenses due by April 2022 Suzuki instead told Hirofumi that Hokkaido would reconsider the project in seven years’ time who was actively involved in Hokkaido’s initial IR project preparations said afterwards he was “very disappointed.” Suzuki gave his reasoning for postponing an IR bid “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the business environment for IR operators given the potential issue of more IR licenses at least seven years after the current initial round “My hope for an IR project remains unchanged I would like to work toward an IR concept that would be unique to Hokkaido.” Suzuki had initially withdrawn Hokkaido from Japan’s IR race in November 2019 but business groups in Tomakomai City had been pushing for a change of heart throughout 2020