Photo 1. AJEEP Inception Meeting Participant Group Photo, attended by AMS EE&C-SSN Focal Points, ACE, and ECCJ
The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), in collaboration with the Energy Conservation Center Japan (ECCJ), co-organised the ASEAN Japan Energy Efficiency Partnership (AJEEP) Inception Meeting under the SOME METI Work Programme 2026-2027. This virtual meeting was held on 26 August 2026 and was attended by representatives from ASEAN Member States (AMS), ACE, and ECCJ. The meeting aimed to discuss AJEEP activities for the fiscal year 2026-2027, specifically the transition to AJEEP Phase II, which focuses on accelerating efforts toward carbon neutrality and enhancing energy efficiency across the region.
Photo 2. Opening remarks delivered by Dr. Pongpan Vorasayan, Director at the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE), Thailand (left) and Masayasu Koizumi, Managing Director at ECCJ (right)
The Meeting featured welcoming remarks from Dr. Pongpan Vorasayan, Director of the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE), Thailand, representing the EE&C-SSN Coordinator. He highlighted the importance of energy efficiency in ASEAN’s sustainable energy transition. Subsequently, Masayasu Koizumi, Managing Director of ECCJ, emphasised Japan's commitment to supporting carbon neutrality efforts in the region through enhanced cooperation. Naing Naing Linn, Manager of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Department at ACE, also delivered remarks underscoring the collaborative efforts required to achieve regional energy targets.
Photo 3. Mardika Firlina, Technical Officer at ACE (left) and Yukihiro Okamoto, General Manager at ECCJ (right) as presenters at Session I - Setting the Scene
Moderated by Mardika Firlina, Technical Officer of the EE&C Department at ACE, the Setting the Scene session commenced with her presentation on the review and follow-up plans for AJEEP Schemes 4 and 5, spanning the 2022–2026 fiscal years. The discussion highlighted the successful development of the Sustainable ASEAN Energy Management Certification Scheme (SAEMAS), noting that 62 Energy Management Professionals and 12 Senior Energy Management Professionals were certified during the trial phase in 2025. Additionally, carbon neutrality diagnosis conducted across four building and four industrial sites in eight AMS revealed a potential annual reduction of roughly 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
Yukihiro Okamoto, General Manager of the International Research and Communication Department at ECCJ, then outlined the strategic direction for AJEEP Phase II, which directly aligns with the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2026- 2030. The upcoming phase will heavily emphasise expanding carbon neutrality diagnosis for both the building and industrial sectors, supplemented by targeted seminars to optimise the deployment of high-efficiency industrial equipment.
Photo 4. Representatives from Lao PDR (top left), Malaysia (top right), Myanmar (bottom left), and Philippines (bottom right), as presenters at Session II – AMS Country Reports
Moderated by Naing Naing Linn, the second session focused on the AMS Country Report presentations and aimed to showcase regional progress in energy efficiency and conservation. Representatives from eight AMS, including Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor Leste, gathered to share national perspectives and exchange best practices. The discussion focused primarily on recent policy updates and priority frameworks for energy efficiency and conservation across the building and industrial sectors. Additionally, delegates highlighted the current landscape of national incentive programs and financial measures designed to accelerate the adoption of energy efficient equipment, while mapping out future outlooks for regional cooperation.
Photo 5. Representatives from Singapore (top left), Thailand (top right), Timor Leste (bottom), as presenters at session II – AMS Country Reports
Moderated by Dr Yoshitaka Ushio, Senior Adviser of the International Cooperation Division at ECCJ, the third session discussed the operational plan of the New AJEEP Phase II. Delving into practical implementation plans for the upcoming fiscal year, Takashi Kanazawa, Technical Expert of the International Planning Department at ECCJ, shared that activity plans for the industrial sector, including Carbon Neutrality Diagnosis, are planned for Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam. For the building sector, Dr. Yoshitaka Ushio shared that Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are planned as the host countries for the Carbon Neutrality Diagnosis.
Photo 6. Dr. Yoshitaka Ushio, Senior Adviser at ECCJ (left) and Takashi Kanazawa, Technical Expert at ECCJ (right), as presenters at session III
The discussions also covered updates presented by Dr. Yoshitaka Ushio regarding the revision of the ISO/TS 23764 methodology to better accommodate ASEAN specific case studies for Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB). To further regional dissemination, Katsuhiko Yamamoto, Technical Expert of the Business Alliance Support Center at Japanese Business Alliance for Smart Energy Worldwide (JASE-W), actively encouraged AMS to submit building project proposals for initial ZEB Energy Diagnosis and feasibility studies. This collaborative initiative ensures that advanced energy management technologies and simulation tools like WEBPRO are effectively adapted to local climates across the region.
Photo 7. Naing Naing Linn, EE&C Manager at ACE (left) delivered the closing remarks, and Yemima Sirait from ACE, as MC, led the Closing Session
The wrap-up session was moderated by Mardika Firlina, who led the finalisation of the timeline and key takeaways. This included the tentative dates and host countries for the Carbon Neutrality Diagnosis across six selected sites in six AMS, the planned dates for ECAP39 focusing on Zero Energy Buildings and WebPro training, ECAP40 focusing on CN initiatives for business operators in ASEAN industrial sectors, and several seminars and follow-up meetings.
The meeting concluded with closing remarks from Masayasu Koizumi of ECCJ and Naing Naing Linn of ACE, reaffirming their mutual dedication to the successful implementation of the AJEEP programmes. The closing session was led by the master of ceremonies, Yemima Sirait, Research Assistant in the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Department at ACE.
The ASEAN-Japan Energy Efficiency Partnership (AJEEP), as part of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Energy and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (SOME-METI) Work Programme for 2026-2027, is a regional cooperation initiative between ASEAN and Japan, implemented by the ACE and ECCJ with financial support from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan. This partnership aims to strengthen the capacity of AMS and reduce disparities in EE&C policies and practices.
