Yoshinari Noda: Editor, Environmental News in Japan

The Environmental News (Kankyō Shimbun), first published in 1965, is a weekly professional newspaper specializing in environmental business, regulations, energy, and climate change. It is widely subscribed to by both public- and private-sector organizations involved in environmental fields and environmental businesses. The newspaper has a circulation of approximately 74,000 copies. Mr.Noda is an editor of the newspaper

Source）Environmental Business Journal, Volume 38 Numbers 7/8: Q3 2025
Global Environmental Markets 2025

Energy saving initiatives Japanese companies’ overseas’ facilities

Q: What is the current status of Japanese companies’ energy-saving efforts at their overseas sites? Do you see any differences by country or region?

A:
Japanese companies’ efforts at their overseas sites appear to be still at an early stage. Many are still in the consideration phase. When energy-saving assessments are conducted at factories, there is often significant potential for energy savings, both in terms of operations and equipment upgrades, and tangible improvements are being achieved.
The use of rooftop solar panels in the United States does not seem to be as widespread as in Japan.
In Southeast Asia, Thailand appears to have a relatively high level of awareness regarding energy conservation. In countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, where coal use remains prevalent and grid emission factors are high, the introduction of solar power can lead to significant emission reductions, making it a highly effective solution.
By reviewing the entire portfolio of overseas sites, we can propose prioritization strategies for emissions reductions.

Q: Could you tell us about the key features and strengths of Yuasa ?

A:
At Yuasa, we conduct energy-saving assessment to support emissions reduction through both operational improvements and equipment upgrades. In Japan, these assessments are generally performed through on-site visits. For overseas locations, we utilize a remote assessment system to conduct real-time assessments in collaboration with Yuasa’s local staff and our headquarters team.

Q: What differentiates you from other solution providers?

Yuasa handles virtually all types of equipment related to factories, which enables us to evaluate energy-saving potential across the entire production process and propose appropriate equipment upgrades. Specific equipment manufacturers typically assess only their own products, while energy consulting companies often cannot provide a list of recommended equipment for replacement. In contrast, Yuasa offers a one-stop service that covers all types of equipment from assessment to installation—through our network of partner companies.
We also support the introduction of renewable energy solutions and handle products such as Tesla’s large storage battery in the Japanese market.

Q: What is your outlook on the energy-saving and decarbonization market over the next few years?

Our services are highly valued by customers for enabling energy-saving efforts tailored to their needs and budget.
In addition, we offer energy-saving training sessions via Zoom for site and factory managers at our clients’ group companies. These sessions help build hands-on knowledge of energy-saving practices at the operational level.
As mentioned earlier, Japanese companies are expected to continue their efforts toward GX (Green Transformation), and we believe the demand for these services will remain strong.