The 7th RD20 Conference to be held in Tsukuba, Japan — Registration for Press Briefing and the Conference Now Open
From September 30 to October 3, 2025, the 7th RD20 (Research and Development 20 for Clean Energy Technologies) Conference will take place in Tsukuba, Japan and Online. RD20 brings together leading R&D institutes from G20 countries to foster innovation and international collaboration toward a carbon-neutral society.
Ahead of the 7th RD20 International Conference, a press briefing will be held for media representatives as follows:
[Press Briefing]
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 15:00-16:00
Venue: Japan National Press Club, Small Conference Room (9F, Japan Press Center Building, 2-2-1 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Online Participation: This briefing will also be accessible via Microsoft Teams. A viewing link will be sent to registered participants in advance.
Speakers:
・Dr. Noriko Yoshizawa, General Secretary of RD20
Research planning office of zero emission, Department of Energy and Environment, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Will explain about RD20 initiative and its activities and international collaboration.
・Dr. Kiyotaka Tsunemi, Program planning manager of RD20 Conference
Director of research planning office of zero emission, Department of Energy and Environment, AIST
Will present the overview and program highlights of the 7th RD20 Conference.
Purpose:
This briefing aims to provide background on RD20’s initiatives and invite the media to cover and participate in the 7th RD20 International Conference.
Those wishing to attend the press conference are kindly requested to pre-register using the form below.
▶ Learn more and register: https://forms.gle/pCPj1UdZ17rQaGPv9
[7th RD20 Conference Overview]
Dates: September 30 – October 3, 2025
Sep. 30 (Tue): Technical Session (Open to the public)
Oct. 1 (Wed): Technical Session (Open to the public)
Oct. 2 (Thu): Site Visit Tour and Workshop (Both Closed to the public)
Oct. 3 (Fri): Leaders Session (AM: Open to the public, PM: Closed to the public)
Venue: Hotel Nikko Tsukuba (https://www.nikko-tsukuba.com/eng/) and Online
Organizer: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Co-organizers: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); Ministry of the Environment (MOE); (tentative) New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Language: English
The Technical Sessions and Leaders session which are open to the public will feature the following topics:
・September 30 (Tue) Technical Session
TS Plenary High-level talks on energy and environment
Moderator: Dr. Kondo Michio (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan)
TS #1 Synthetic fuels including a wide range of resources, conversion processes and products
Moderator:
Dr. Thabo Hlalele (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa)
Dr. David Harris (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia)
・October 1 (Wed) Technical Session
TS #2 Energy storage with a focus on grid-scale storage for renewables
Moderator:
Dr. Pierre SERRE-COMBE (The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, France)
Dr. Ratih Damayanti (National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia)
TS #3: AI and digitalization to accelerate research for energy technology innovation, development and deployment
Moderator:
Dr. Tomonori Honda (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan)
Dr. Sangjin Choi (Korea Institute of Energy Research, Korea)
・October 3 (Fri) AM Leaders Session
The Leaders Session consists of keynote speeches and roundtable discussions, where leaders of RD20 member research institutions discuss the realization of international collaboration through RD20.
Keynote speeches will be delivered by Dr. Akira Yoshino, Director of the Global Zero Emission Research Center (GZR), AIST, Prof. Dr. Bernd Rech of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) and more. Additionally, taskforces which are now active in RD20 will share their achievements and activity. Learning from the successful examples of taskforces in achieving research objectives requiring urgent collaboration in RD20, discussions will be held to continue and promote these activities.
▶ Learn more and register: https://rd20.aist.go.jp/conference/
About RD20
RD20 is an “initiative” for international research and development aiming to strengthen international collaboration by leading research institutes in G20 countries and regions that develop the world’s most advanced technologies for achieving carbon neutrality.
RD20 provides opportunities for participants to exchange R&D activities, experiences, and best practices related to clean energy technologies across countries and regions, as well as to explore the potential for international joint research. It also serves to deepen and develop new partnerships among relevant industries, academia, and government stakeholders.
▶RD20 Official Website: https://rd20.aist.go.jp/
This year’s RD20 conference has been officially recognized by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition as a “Theme Weeks Connect” —an official offsite program of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. The conference is part of “SDGs+Beyond Future Society for Life,” one of eight official theme weeks of Expo 2025. The conference information is also available on the official Theme Week website
.▶EXPO 2025 Theme Weeks: https://theme-weeks.expo2025.or.jp/en/
Contact
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
RD20 Secretariat
https://rd20.aist.go.jp/contact/
Contact for Press Briefing
The Japan Times Agency
On behalf of RD20 Secretariat: [email protected]
