February 20, 2020
Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation
Bureau of Urban Development
Bureau of Environment

Tokyo’s efforts to realize a hydrogen society taking the opportunity of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020

Against the backdrop of increasingly serious impacts of climate change on natural disasters, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) has formulated the “Zero Emission Tokyo Strategy” to shift from fossil fuels to carbon-free energy sources. By positioning hydrogen as an important pillar of next generation energy, the TMG is promoting the active utilization of hydrogen in various fields.
To popularize hydrogen, which is key to becoming a carbon-free society, it will be important to publicize the great potential of hydrogen energy by taking opportunity of the Tokyo 2020 Games where large number of people will gather from all over the world.
For this reason, along with further promoting current efforts, the TMG will implement the following measures in order to make hydrogen an important legacy to be passed on to generations to follow.

1.Use of hydrogen as fuel for the Games’ cauldrons and the torches for relay throughout Japan

• For the first time in Games history, the Tokyo 2020 Games will use hydrogen to light the cauldrons and some of the relay torches.
• It is aimed to make the Tokyo 2020 Games the most innovative and sustainable Games ever. As the most effective way to demonstrate this leading initiative of the Games will be to use hydrogen for the first time ever at scenes that will draw the eyes of the world, the TMG is working in cooperation with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee to realize this.

2.Efforts around the Athletes’ Village

• The Athletes’ Village will be powered by hydrogen produced from renewable energy in Fukushima Prefecture and utilized in some of the residential buildings and in the athletes’ communal facility constructed at Harumi Port Park.
• Temporary hydrogen stations set up next to the Athletes’ Village will supply hydrogen to vehicles around the clock during the Games. Also, information facility will be opened at the Village to publicize the use of hydrogen energy in the post-Games village. By holding tours in collaboration with such facilities as Tokyo Suisomiru, a hydrogen information center, it will convey the benefits of hydrogen in an easy-to-understand manner.

3.Projection mapping with hydrogen energy

• Projection mapping will be held at the Tokyo 2020 Live Sites by using fuel cell vehicles as a power source as well as a screen. This will be an easy way to show hydrogen, which is invisible, to domestic and international tourists and others.

4.Advance the introduction of fuel cell buses

• Promote efforts with the aim to introduce as many as 70 fuel cell buses that do not emit CO2 to the Toei Bus fleet by the Tokyo 2020 Games.
• The installation of hydrogen fuel stations that are indispensable for operation of the fuel cell buses and vehicles is currently under way. Fifteen hydrogen fuel stations have been built within the Tokyo area (two of which are high-supply stations capable of fueling the fuel cell buses,) and another six stations (three of which can supply fuel cell buses) are being built.