Japan's GX investment expands nuclear power supply chain demand, 17 Korean nuclear power-related material and equipment suppliers visit Tokyo for business talks

On September 10, 2026, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced that, together with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the Korea Nuclear Industry Association, it had dispatched the “2026 Smart Energy Week Climate Technology Market Exploration Delegation” to Tokyo, Japan. The delegation consisted of 17 Korean suppliers of materials, parts, and equipment in the new energy and nuclear power sectors.

KOTRA stated that the move aims to align with Japan's energy transition and growing electricity demand, and to support Korean suppliers in entering the local Japanese supply chain.

The Korean delegation, together with the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association (JEMA) and RX Japan, jointly held a seminar on trends in Japan's power equipment industry to learn about changes in the Japanese electricity market and the procurement trends of major demand-side buyers. The delegation also visited institutions such as Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI) to survey Japan's power infrastructure and energy equipment demand.

Starting from the 9th, KOTRA set up a Korea Pavilion at “2026 Smart Energy Week” and organized one-on-one business meetings. About 50 buyers, including Japanese energy companies such as Toshiba and Hitachi, as well as major engineering, procurement, and construction contractors, attended to discuss equipment procurement and supply chain cooperation possibilities with Korean exhibitors.

With the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the Japanese government plans to promote green investment totaling approximately 150 trillion yen over 10 years starting from 2024. KOTRA believes that as Japan's investment in new energy facilities expands, its existing supply chains are restructured, and data center expansion drives up electricity demand, Japan's need for stable supply chains in the power equipment and energy infrastructure sectors is increasing.

Park Yong-min, head of KOTRA's Japan regional headquarters, stated that the Japanese government's promotion of GX and AX policies is pushing local companies to adjust their relatively conservative supply chain strategies. KOTRA will continue to follow up on the demand identified during these business talks and support Korean materials, parts, and equipment suppliers in achieving tangible cooperation results in the Japanese market.