LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen wrapped up a highly productive trade mission to Japan. The mission included meetings with key importers of Nebraska beef and pork; opportunities to promote Nebraska-made biofuels; and high-level discussions to strengthen the state’s longstanding commercial, cultural, and educational ties to Japan.
“Japan is a top customer of Nebraska’s value-added agricultural products, and there is tremendous potential for our trade relationship to grow,” said Gov. Pillen. “In particular, there are gigantic opportunities for our state to meet Japan’s increasing demand for ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel. With the ability to produce the lowest-carbon corn ethanol on the planet, Nebraska is well-positioned to expand its presence in the Japanese market.”
On Monday afternoon, Gov. Pillen highlighted Nebraska’s advantages as a biofuels supplier during remarks to a gathering of ethanol buyers in Tokyo. The event was organized by the U.S. Embassy in Japan and the U.S. Grains Council. Now is an especially strategic time to promote Nebraska ethanol to Japan. In November 2024, the Government of Japan announced its intent to introduce higher ethanol blends into its fuel supply — with a target of having 10% ethanol in gasoline supplies by 2030 and 20% ethanol by 2040. This policy would significantly increase the country’s ethanol use, as Japan blended less than two percent of ethanol with gasoline in 2024 — one of the lowest percentages in the developed world. George Glass, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, also spoke at the ethanol buyers event. He emphasized the Midwest’s robust capacity to support clean energy development in Japan. The Nebraska Corn Board and Union Pacific also presented at the conference. Respectively, they underscored Nebraska’s sustainable agricultural practices and the state’s strategic location at the heart of the nation’s coast-to-coast transportation network…