BookTitleToyota Tsusho 70-Year History

Summary

Toyota Tsusho 70-Year History

power company, UES, in 2005 and started the resaleof emissions rights to Japanese companies as a sellerthrough the cooperation of its wholly owned subsidiaryEnergy Carbon Facility (ECF). In 2003, Toyota Tsushosigned an agreement on joint development of CDMprojects with Tsinghua University in China.3 Start of GSE Services BusinessIn September 2003, Toyota Tsusho partnered withToyota Industries, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways,and Toyota L&F Chubu to provide ground supportequipment and airport support vehicles and equipment(GSE) at Central Japan International Airport (Centrair).Taking advantage of the Toyota Group’s expertiseequipping vehicles for use at an airport, Toyota Tsusholeveraged experience with managing traditional gasstations to allow stable procurement and supply of fuel.4 Creating a DME BusinessNovember 2003 saw a group of 10 companies,including Toyota Tsusho, JFE Holdings, Ltd., andHitachi, Ltd., band together to establish DMEDevelopment, which constructed a DME (dimethylether) plant in Kushiro, Hokkaido, and started work onestablishing DME direct synthesis technology. BecauseDME does not contain sulfur or ash, no sulfur oxideand particulate matter are generated when it combusts,and the higher cetane number means it has excellentcombustion characteristics. In addition, it has extremelylow toxicity and is considered a clean fuel that poses noconcern for greenhouse effects or destroying the ozonelayer. Able to be manufactured from a variety of rawmaterials, it is a clean fuel that is expected to reduceenvironmental impact, and Toyota Tsusho began to worktocreatebusinessapplications.5 Commitment to PFI and UrbanRedevelopment ProjectsToyota Tsusho also endeavored to use private financeinitiatives (PFI) to leverage the management skills,technology, and funds of private-sector firms to createbusiness applications out of the construction andmaintenance of public facilities. One of these was anequipment project that leveraged PFI in Tokyo’s CentralJoint Government Building No. 7 and saved the facadeof the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceofficial residence in an urban revitalization projectshowcasing the development concept of“wisdom”inwhich Toyota Tsusho participated as a member of agroup led by Nippon Steel. While exploring variouspossibilities from capital loans to maintenance projects,the urban revitalization project was officially launched inJanuary 2005.Toyota Tsusho also participated as a member togetherwith Daiwa House Industry, Nippon Tochi Tatemono,ORIX, and Meitetsu Real Estate Development as theSasashima Live 24 Specific Purpose Company in theredevelopment of 12.4 hectares of the old Sasajimafreight train station, a satellite venue of the 2005 AichiWorld Exposition. Construction was completed inMarch 2017, and offices, hotels, conference facilities,and commercial facilities were fully opened as the newGlobal Gate landmark in October of that year.6 Approaches to Biofuel ProjectsIn December 2005, Toyota Tsusho launched a nationalbiofuel project jointly with the Hokkaido prefecturalgovernment. This national project was a New EnergyCentral Japan International Airport (Centrair)Global Gate exterior (Perth)128