TRADE EVENTS

Enviro-Shiga 2008 show in Nagahama, Shiga (11/5 –7, 2008)
The Commercial Service of the U.S. Consulate General (CS) Osaka-Kobe will organize a USA Pavilion at the Enviro-Shiga 2008, which will be held from November 5 to 7, 2008 in Nagahama City, about 65 miles northeast of Osaka or 40 miles northwest of Nagoya.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

(for full report, please access our Market Research Library )

New Particulate Matter Regulations will Stimulate Demand for Filters and Catalysts
In August 1999, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) Governor, Ishihara, began his campaign to reduce, if not eliminate, diesel emissions in Tokyo. Governor Ishihara views particulate matter (PM) contained in diesel exhaust as a carcinogen and a source of various respiratory ailments. In December 2000, TMG enacted a municipal ordinance setting a new standard for PM that will be applied against diesel vehicles operating in Tokyo beginning in October 2003. Saitama Prefecture, just north of Tokyo, has decided to introduce similar regulations. The Government of Japan also recently published its intent to accelerate introduction of new vehicle exhaust emission regulations from 2005 to 2007 and to strengthen rules targeting PM. These moves by the central and local governments should lead to a significant increase in Japanese demand for diesel particulate filters (DPF) and catalysts to reduce PM emissions.

Soil Remediation Report
According to the Geo Environmental Protection Center (GEPC), the largest soil remediation industry association in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Agency, the size of Japan's soil remediation market is estimated at 13 trillion yen (approximately $108 billion). Several U.S. companies (e.g., soil remediation engineering companies and soil remediation machinery/equipment suppliers) have shown interest in this market. The Commercial Service Tokyo (CS Tokyo) will distribute market information through a series of International Market Insight (IMI) reports over the coming months. The first report on will focus on general market conditions; the second on technological demand/supply conditions; and the third on possible marketing strategies for U.S. firms interested in Japan soil remediation market.

CS JAPAN CONTACTS

Commercial Attache: Pat Cassidy
Energy, Environment: Kenji Kobayashi
CS Osaka-Kobe: Chikako Akai