Approval Obtained for 'Base Development Support System' for Ammonia Supply Hub Centered in the Tomakomai Region, Hokkaido
The development of a low-carbon ammonia supply hub in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, has been certified under the government's 'Base Development Support System'.
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- 📰 Published: March 29, 2026 at 00:37
Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc.
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
IHI Corporation
Tomakomai Futo Co., Ltd.
Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Sapporo; President: Susumu Saito), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Kenichi Hori; hereinafter "Mitsui & Co."), IHI Corporation (Head Office: Koto-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroshi Ide), and Tomakomai Futo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tomakomai, Hokkaido; President: Hisao Kaizu) are pleased to announce that they have applied for the "Base Development Support System" under the Hydrogen Society Promotion Act and received certification from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism today*1.
The Base Development Support System is a program through which the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry provides support for the development of infrastructure necessary for the transportation or storage of low-carbon hydrogen and other substances, with the aim of promoting the supply and use of such substances at an early stage.
Based on the certified business plan, the four companies aim to build a supply hub capable of providing low-carbon ammonia in the Tomakomai region of Hokkaido by the end of fiscal year 2030, as part of a large-scale low-carbon ammonia supply chain project aiming for the first commercial operation in Japan. Low-carbon ammonia is ammonia produced with significantly reduced CO2 emissions compared to conventional manufacturing processes. It is expected to serve not only to decarbonize the value chain for existing applications such as fertilizers and chemical products but also as a clean fuel that does not emit CO2 during combustion.
Under this plan, low-carbon ammonia*2, which is procured by Mitsui & Co. and was certified on December 19, 2025, under the "Support System Focusing on Price Differentials" based on the Hydrogen Society Promotion Act, will be utilized by low-carbon hydrogen utilization operators for fuel or raw material purposes, aiming to reduce environmental impact.
In Hokkaido, the establishment of next-generation semiconductor factories and large-scale data centers is progressing, and energy demand within the prefecture is expected to increase significantly in the future. In addition to the introduction of renewable energy such as offshore wind power, there is a high potential demand for ammonia as a clean fuel. In particular, Tomakomai is a key logistics hub in Hokkaido designated as an International Hub Port. With shipping routes accessible to both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean, it is a promising location that allows for supply not only to customers around the hub but also to customers both inside and outside the prefecture by utilizing coastal vessels. By building a large-scale low-carbon ammonia supply chain centered in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, we will proceed with our considerations while seeking the understanding of the local community, in order to contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality for all of Japan.
*1 Refer to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry website dated March 27, 2026.
*2 Acquisition of certification for the Japanese "Price Differential Support System" regarding the US low-carbon ammonia business (Mitsui & Co.)
https://www.mitsui.com/jp/ja/topics/2025/1252552_14877.html
[Conceptual image of the ammonia supply hub in the Tomakomai region]