RWE Supply & Trading targets further growth in Asia and has therefore entered the Japanese power trading market by establishing a subsidiary in Tokyo. The new company RWE Supply & Trading Japan has opened its office in the capital city of Japan and aims to become operational in autumn.

“When it comes to our global growth strategy, Asia is certainly key“, explains Peter Krembel, Chief Commercial Officer Trading at RWE Supply & Trading. “Our new subsidiary in Japan complements our existing Asian hubs and gives us the chance to enter a promising market – with a strong physical demand and an attractive generation mix – at an early stage. The power trading market in Japan is still in its infancy. However the Japanese government together with the exchanges and market participants have created a promising market environment. As one of the world’s leading trading houses we want to leverage our experience and capabilities gained in Europe and the US to help to continue this path.“

The engagement of RWE Supply & Trading in Asia started already in 2010 with setting up the Asian headquarter in Singapore and has gradually been strengthened with three additional offices in Asia with meanwhile well over 50 employees. In Japan the company plans to be active in physical and financial wholesale trading of various commodities, including LNG, oil, coal and biofuels. In addition it is planned to offer cross commodity deals.

“RWE Supply & Trading has already a good amount of existing relationships to utilities and trading houses in the Japanese market, especially in the field of LNG where we have delivered in excess of 7 million tonnes of LNG in the past few years and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tokyo Gas. We want to grow and strengthen relationships with our Japanese partners and additionally plan to serve industrial customers with innovative solutions and to offer hedging solutions to retailers, smaller generators and renewables. Our ambition is to become an active and visible trading partner for utilities and other wholesalers and traders in Japan”, explains Frank Klepzig, President of RWE Supply & Trading Japan.

With RWE Supply & Trading Japan, RWE is establishing the second subsidiary in Japan. In autumn 2019, RWE Renewables had opened an office in Tokyo to drive the growth of offshore wind in Japan. Both subsidiaries will work hand in hand and use their complementary capabilities to further strengthen RWE’s position in the country.

Therefore Shinichi Kato, President and Country Manager of RWE’s Renewables business in Japan also become a representative director of the new subsidiary RWE Supply & Trading Japan.

RWE Supply & Trading is the interface between RWE and energy markets around the world. Around 1,600 employees from 40 nations trade electricity, gas, commodities, and CO2 emission certificates. Aided by precise market analyses and guided by high customer orientation, they create innovative Energy supply solutions as well as concepts for risk management in industrial companies. The trading company also ensures the commercial optimisation of the RWE power plants, operates storage for natural gas, and markets renewable energy.