Tri Chemical secures ¥10bn for Minami‑Alps plant; Suntory advances 16‑MW green hydrogen project

Minami‑Alps City, Yamanashi Prefecture, September 12, 2025

News Summary

Tri Chemical Laboratories has closed ¥10 billion in financing through a term loan and committed credit line to fund a new production plant in Minami‑Alps City, supporting capacity expansion with limited near‑term fiscal impact. Separately, a major beverage and spirits group is progressing a 16‑megawatt power‑to‑gas electrolyzer in the Southern Alps of Yamanashi to produce green hydrogen for a nearby distillery and water plant. The ¥14 billion project aims to use local renewable electricity for heat, sterilization and vehicle fuel, with construction targeted for completion and verification phases following soon after.

Tri Chemical Laboratories secures ¥10 billion to build new Minami‑Alps plant; Suntory advances 16‑MW green hydrogen plan in Yamanashi

A Tokyo‑listed chemical maker has completed financing arrangements worth ¥10,000,000,000 to build a new production facility in Minami‑Alps City, Yamanashi Prefecture, while a major drinks group is pushing forward with a 16‑megawatt power‑to‑gas hydrogen project in the same region aimed at supplying local industrial sites.

Key financing for Tri Chemical Laboratories

Tri Chemical Laboratories Inc. (ticker JP:4369) has executed a term‑loan agreement alongside a commitment‑line agreement that together total ¥10 billion. The company says the funds are intended to secure capital needed for growth and the construction of a new plant in Minami‑Alps City. The financing is described as arranged to support expansion with minimal expected impact on the firm’s current fiscal performance.

The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market and operates in the chemical sector with a focus on development and production of chemical products. Public trading data tied to the firm shows an average trading volume around 589,417 shares and a market capitalization of roughly ¥83.52 billion. Recent analyst coverage included a Buy rating and a stated price target of ¥3,500, while a short‑term technical sentiment indicator is recorded as Sell.

What the plant will mean

The financing positions the company to expand capacity through a new facility in Yamanashi Prefecture. The plant is part of a broader push by the company to grow its manufacturing footprint. Details on the plant’s production lines, construction timetable and expected start of operations were not specified in the financing notice, though the capital arrangement signals readiness to begin or accelerate building activity.

Suntory’s nationwide green hydrogen push and the Yamanashi Model

Separately, a large beverage and spirits group has rolled out a mid‑ to long‑term Green Hydrogen Vision after a prior effort to secure funding for a UK hydrogen site was rejected. The vision sets out plans to use hydrogen across production, distribution and sales to reduce carbon emissions and create a more localized energy model based on renewable electricity and water resources.

In Yamanashi Prefecture the group has partnered with the prefectural government and nine companies to develop what is being called the Yamanashi Model P2G System. The centerpiece is a 16‑megawatt electrolyzer to produce green hydrogen using local renewable electricity. The hydrogen is intended to supply the group’s nearby Minami Alps Hakushu Water Plant and the Hakushu Distillery for heating, sterilization and to power local vehicles.

Project scale, timeline and funding

The Yamanashi project’s stated total cost is ¥14,000,000,000, with roughly ¥10 billion expected to be covered by a national innovation fund managed by a public energy and industrial technology body. Construction completion was targeted in 2024 with verification and testing running into 2025. Project analysts estimate that at full capacity the system could generate heat energy on par with the annual energy use currently consumed by the two facilities it will serve, enabling them to run largely on green hydrogen when the system is operational.

Technical and commercial context

The green hydrogen approach uses electrolyzers that split water into hydrogen and oxygen with electricity. While electrolyzers are established at small scales, their costs are currently high and expected to fall as deployment increases. The largest cost drivers for such projects remain the electrolyzer equipment and securing sufficient low‑carbon electricity. Public subsidy and policy support are playing a major role in bringing early projects to commercial readiness, and developers are still refining business models for long‑term viability.

Environmental and supply chain goals

The hydrogen strategy is framed as part of a broader push to achieve net‑zero targets by mid‑century. The program aims to create a local production for local consumption model using regional renewable power and water, expand hydrogen use across the supply chain, and explore new business opportunities linked to hydrogen energy.

FAQ

Key features at a glance

Feature	Tri Chemical Laboratories	Yamanashi P2G (Green Hydrogen)
Funding amount	¥10,000,000,000 (term‑loan + commitment line)	Project cost ¥14,000,000,000; ~¥10,000,000,000 public fund support
Purpose	Construction of new chemical plant in Minami‑Alps City	Produce green hydrogen to supply local water and distillery operations
Timeline	Financing executed; construction to follow	Construction target 2024; testing and verification 2025
Partners	Company‑led financing (bank arrangements)	Yamanashi Prefecture + nine companies + national innovation fund
Expected local impact	Expanded chemical production capacity	Local energy supply for heat, sterilization and vehicles; supports net‑zero goals
Technology	Chemical manufacturing	Electrolysis (power‑to‑gas electrolyzer), renewable electricity

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Additional Resources

• TipRanks: Tri Chemical Laboratories secures financing for new plant construction
• Wikipedia: Minami-Alps, Yamanashi
• FuelCellsWorks: Suntory reinforces domestic hydrogen strategy after UK distillery project collapse
• Wikipedia: Green hydrogen
• Canary Media: Green hydrogen will power production of Japanese whisky (Hakushu)
• Wikipedia: Japanese whisky
• TheDrinksBusiness: Suntory doubles down on hydrogen plans despite UK distillery block
• Google Search: Suntory green hydrogen Yamanashi
• The Straits Times: Costco in Japan’s Yamanashi prefecture attracts visitors before opening
• Encyclopaedia Britannica: Yamanashi Prefecture