Trade Minister Joe Szakacs jets to Japan to talk ‘green hydrogen’ and fish

The Trade Minister is on an overseas trip which is all about hydrogen and Tokyo’s biggest fish market where a bluefin tuna sold for $1.2m.

Trade Minister Joe Szakacs is on a trip to Japan to talk hydro and seafood. Picture: Dean Martin

South Australia’s ‘green hydrogen industry’ and seafood exports are on the radar as Trade and Investment Minister Joe Szakacs jets off to South Korea and Japan this weekend.

Mr Szakacs is travelling with chief executive officers from leading energy and resource companies ranging from Magnetite Mines, Hallett Group, Iron Road and Renascor Resources.

He said the trip gave a ‘strong signal’ that the Malinauskas government is working closely with private sector partners to decarbonise and is taking a leadership role in developing clean energy projects like the Hydrogen Jobs Plan.

“Increasing South Australian exports, and investment attraction, is a major focus of

the Malinauskas government, which is why this trade mission – my first to Japan

and Korea – is so important,” Mr Szakacs said.

“Leading a delegation of industry CEOs demonstrates our state and our government

is committed to working as one team to deliver our ambitious renewable energy

and green hydrogen agenda.

“South Australia’s key sectors of growth, including resources, fuels and clean

technologies, food, wine and agribusiness represent excellent opportunities for

investment from Korea and Japan.”

He will meet with energy and resource companies along with attending the annual bilateral Australia Japan Business Cooperation Committee Conference in Nayoya to spruik SA’s investment opportunities to potential investors.

Hallett Group chief executive officer Kane Salisbury described the trip as an opportunity to meet current and future Korean and Japanese partners to further “progress our plans to build a world leading green cement manufacturing hub at Port Augusta powered by the green fuels of the future”.

Minister Szakacs is also meeting with leading importers of Southern Bluefin Tuna at Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, the world’s largest fish market where a bluefin tuna sold for more than $1m in January.

A crate holding a bluefin tuna - which was purchased earlier in the day for more than $1m at the first tuna auction of the New Year - is unloaded outside the Sushi Ginza Onodera main store in Omotesando, Tokyo, on January 5. Picture: Richard A. Brooks / AFP

The government launched a $475,000 Seafood Export Growth Program to help the industry grow, including supporting exporters to attend international trade events like next year’s World Expo in Osaka.

Live rock lobster exports to China also resumed this month.

“The visit is an opportunity to continue developing the significant effort we have put into diversification programs - particularly for wine and seafood,” Mr Szakacs said.