The Hydrogen Energy System Society of Japan’s (HESS) activities for 2003 include holding quarterly R&D workshops; publishing a twice yearly journal covering research and development on hydrogen related technologies; and holding its annual symposium.

The first R&D workshop of this year was held on February, 27 in Tokyo.

The annual symposium is scheduled for December at The Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.  The previous annual symposium was held at Tokyo Institute of Technology and 375 people participated in that event.

The 15th World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC) will be held in Yokohama, Japan June 27-July 1, 2004. As HESS is the host organization of the 15th WHEC, it will be responsible for the detailed planning of the event. Because public acceptance is a very important issue for the market introduction of fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fuel, the “One Day Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Seminar for the General Public” is planned. Approximately 100 members of the general public who are living in Yokohama City will participate in the seminar. Lectures on hydrogen and fuel cells, test rides in fuel cell vehicles, and discussions between participants on the theme “What acts are desired to achieve smooth market introduction of hydrogen and fuel cells” will be part of the one day seminar.  A representative of participants will present the results of the discussion at the plenary session of the conference next day.

Japan’s fiscal year 2003 will start in April. Japanese government Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry’s (METI) has requested a FY2003 budget of Yen 30.7 billion ($256 million) for R&D of fuel cells; hydrogen technologies; clean fuels and lithium batteries for fuel cell vehicle development; and demonstration projects of stationary fuel cells and fuel cell vehicles.