Malaysia: Malaysia and Japan reached a new milestone in their green bioeconomy partnership with the signing of three strategic agreements worth RM1.34 billion on May 12 at Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation (Bioeconomy Corp), an agency of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), stated that the signing coincided with the launch of MOSTI Week. This initiative marks a step forward for both nations in advancing the low-carbon and bio-based economy agenda, aligning with global sustainability commitments.
The statement highlighted that the collaborations focus on the development of renewable energy and the commercialization of sustainable biotechnology products. These initiatives are in line with the aspirations of the National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 and global sustainability goals.
Bioeconomy Corp's chief executive officer, Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak, emphasized that Japan's selection as Malaysia's strategic partner in innovation and technology underscores the strength of global cooperation to promote green economic growth and tackle global climate challenges. He expressed Malaysia's pride in showcasing its bioeconomy potential to the global market through strategic collaborations of this nature.
The agreements include a joint venture between renewable energy company reNIKOLA Holdings Sdn Bhd and Japan's Sumitomo Corporation to develop renewable fuels. Additionally, Malaysia's bioenergy company MTC Orec Sdn Bhd and IHI Plant Services Corporation have agreed to collaborate on biogas technology development in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, BioNexus status company Glyken Bio Products Sdn Bhd has signed a memorandum of agreement and supply contract with Japan's Respect Co Ltd for distributing its bird's nest glycopeptide-based products in the Japanese market.
Mohd Khairul Fidzal also noted that these collaborations reflect the alignment between Malaysia's commitment to sustainable innovation and the expo's theme, 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives.' He stated that the focus is not only on accelerating market access and technology transfer but also on creating opportunities for joint development of solutions to address climate change, energy security, and economic resilience.