Tokyo's Hydrogen Strategy & Policy
The Tokyo Hydrogen Vision (2022) sets the direction: full use of green hydrogen by 2050, with concrete deployment targets and subsidies toward a 2030 Carbon Half.
The Tokyo Hydrogen Vision (2022)
2050 vision
By 2050, green hydrogen is used across transport, power generation, industry and buildings — supporting the massive introduction of renewable energy and contributing to decarbonization and stable energy supply.
2030 Carbon Half
Tokyo aims to cut greenhouse-gas emissions 50% by 2030 (vs. 2000 levels) — “Carbon Half” — and to net zero by 2050. Hydrogen is one of the core levers, alongside renewables and ZEVs.
Strategic pillars
The Vision organizes action into four areas: expanding green hydrogen supply, expanding hydrogen use in transport, expanding use in other fields, and building momentum (awareness, collaboration, international linkage).
Sources: TMG Environment Bureau: Tokyo Hydrogen Vision (2022, JP) · TMG Bureau of Industrial & Labor Affairs: Vision page (JP) · Asia Digest: Vision targets explained by Governor Koike (2026).
Targets on the books
Key quantified goals from TMG's Tokyo 2050 Strategy and related plans (as published in TMG materials, June 2025).
| Target | Value | Horizon |
|---|---|---|
| FC commercial vehicles introduced in Tokyo | Approx. 10,000 | ~2035 (Tokyo 2050 Strategy) |
| Hydrogen stations compatible with commercial vehicles | Approx. 100 | ~2035 (Tokyo 2050 Strategy) |
| Fuel cell buses | Approx. 300 | End of FY2030 |
| New gasoline-only passenger-car sales | Phased out 100% | By 2030 |
| Greenhouse-gas emissions | -50% vs 2000 | 2030 (Carbon Half) |
| TMG hydrogen budget (FY2025) | ¥18.1 billion | FY2025 (accelerating social implementation) |
Passenger fuel cell vehicles in Tokyo numbered 1,424 at end-March 2024 — the commercial-first focus reflects where hydrogen beats batteries today.
Source: TMG “Efforts to Expand and Promote the Use of Hydrogen Energy” (Jun 2025).
Subsidies & support programs
TMG subsidizes both the supply side (stations, production) and the demand side (vehicles, equipment, fuel).
Hydrogen stations
Installation subsidies up to ¥500 million (large stations), with expanded support for solar, electrolyzers, bus/truck retrofits and pipelines from FY2025; operation subsidies extended for overnight hours; fuel-cost subsidies of up to ¥2,315/kg for SMEs. A help desk (“Sui Sui Support”) guides SMEs through opening stations.
Vehicles & fuel
FC buses up to ¥50 million each; FC taxis up to ¥3.7 million; FCVs up to ¥2.25 million (with bonuses for V2B and renewables); fuel-cost support for FC buses and taxis. TMG also subsidizes FC trucks and hydrogen-engine conversions (FY2025).
Green hydrogen equipment
Subsidies of up to 10/10 (max ¥400 million) for packaged green-H₂ production-to-use systems, 2/3 (max ¥333 million) for commercial/industrial fuel cells, and support for production, storage and transport equipment — encouraging businesses to produce and use green hydrogen in Tokyo.
Certification & markets
The Green Hydrogen Active User certification (since FY2024) pays incentives of up to 300 yen/Nm³ of green hydrogen used; a trial green-hydrogen exchange (operating since late 2024) prepares a market-based trading system.
Source: TMG hydrogen overview (Jun 2025).
Tokyo and the national hydrogen strategy
Tokyo's policy runs in tandem with Japan's national strategy.
National Basic Hydrogen Strategy
Japan published its first Basic Hydrogen Strategy in December 2017 and revised it in June 2023 to cover hydrogen, ammonia, synthetic methane and synthetic fuels, alongside hydrogen industry and safety strategies.
National supply targets
The 2023 revision targets 3 million tonnes of hydrogen supply per year by 2030, 12 million by 2040 (new) and 20 million by 2050; hydrogen cost below ¥30/Nm³ by 2030; 15 GW of electrolyzers globally by 2030; 1,000 stations; 800,000 FCVs; and 3 million home fuel cells by 2030.
Shift to applications
The national revision shifts emphasis from passenger FCVs toward industry and heavy transport — steel, chemicals, commercial mobility — which is exactly the “Commercial First” logic Tokyo has pursued since the 2020 Games.
Legal & institutional backbone
Japan's Hydrogen Society Promotion Act (2024) provides a framework for hydrogen supply infrastructure. TMG participates in national councils and hosts HENCA Tokyo, an annual international hydrogen conference.
Sources: ANRE Energy White Paper 2024: strategy revision (JP) · IEA: Basic Hydrogen Strategy update · NZ MFAT: strategy targets table (Nov 2023) · TMG overview (Jun 2025).
International engagement
Tokyo actively exports its model: the HENCA Tokyo conference, a collaboration agreement with Germany's H2Global Foundation (Feb 2024), cooperation agreements with Australia's New South Wales and Queensland, and partnerships with Fukushima and Yamanashi prefectures on green hydrogen supply.