On April 14, 2025, MAEDA Tadashi, Chairman of the Board of Directors and SEKINE Hiroki, Managing Executive Officer, Global Head of Infrastructure and Environment Finance Group of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) held a meeting with Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican, Chairman of the Policy Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister.
JBIC recognizes that the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) is an important initiative for ASEAN countries to achieve energy transition more efficiently and effectively, and endorses the efforts of the Malaysian government and other ASEAN countries toward the realization of the APG. During the meeting with Prime Minister Anwar, who holds the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, views were also exchanged on efforts towards energy transition, particularly those aimed at realizing the APG.
The APG is a plan for the development of a power grid that enables wide-area power exchange within ASEAN. Through the laying and strengthening of land and submarine transmission lines, it aims to expand intra-regional power transactions, particularly promoting the development and utilization of renewable energy. The APG will lead to the effective use of green power within the region and will be a significant means of achieving energy transition in this area.
In ASEAN, the APG has been identified as one of the annual priorities in the energy sector for 2025. In January 2025, the Special Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME 2025) and related meetings were held, and on that occasion, the APG Enhanced MOU and other agreements were endorsed.
The Japanese government has launched the "Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC)" initiative as a framework to support and cooperate with Asian countries' efforts towards energy transition, utilizing the technology and expertise of Japanese companies. JBIC strongly promotes this initiative, and the APG aligns with such initiative.
In collaboration with the Japanese government, JBIC, together with Japanese companies that have expertise in the manufacturing and operation of transmission-related equipment and international transmission projects in PPP format, will enhance engagement with the Malaysian government and other ASEAN countries. JBIC will collaborate with relevant governments and organizations towards the realization of the APG.
