Subcommittee on Sustainability of Steel Structures
Committee Overview
●Proposers
Chair: Kazuyuki Mizuguchi (NEXCO East Engineering Co., Ltd.)
Secretary-General: Shiro Saito (IHI Infrastructure Systems Co., Ltd.)
●Purpose of Establishment, Objectives, and Activities
In October 2020, then Prime Minister Suga declared Japan’s goal of achieving “Carbon Neutrality by 2050,” and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry subsequently formulated the “Green Growth Strategy Through Achieving Carbon Neutrality in 2050.” In Europe and the United States, reducing CO2 emissions from the construction industry has become an important issue. Although Japan has lagged behind in this field, interest has increased rapidly in recent years. In Europe, there have been cases in which lightweight timber bridges won design competitions because reducing the use of concrete was considered effective in lowering CO2 emissions. Steel structures are lighter than concrete structures and therefore have the potential to contribute to CO2 reduction. However, since most CO2 emissions associated with steel bridge construction originate from materials, there are high expectations for steel manufacturers to develop “zero-carbon steel” technologies, including hydrogen reduction and CCUS. At the same time, the steel structure industry should not rely solely on technological development by steel manufacturers, but should also pursue technologies that contribute to reducing CO2 emissions.
Against this background, this Committee investigates the environmental impacts associated with the fabrication, erection, and maintenance of steel structures, as well as technologies that contribute to reducing environmental loads, and systematically organizes the findings.
●Method of Activities
The full committee will meet approximately once every three to four months to collect case studies on CO2 reduction initiatives in a wide range of fields in Japan and overseas and to consider the future direction of the steel structure industry. Working groups will be established as necessary for case collection and systematic organization.
●Activity Period
Three years (April 2024 – March 2027)
Committee Members
| Position | Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Kazuyuki Mizuguchi | Yokogawa Bridge Corp. |
| Secretary-General | Shiro Saito | IHI Infrastructure Systems Co., Ltd. |
| Deputy Secretary-General | Yugo Suzuki | NEXCO East Engineering Co., Ltd. |
| Member | Koichi Ikeya | Nippon Expressway Research Institute Company Limited |
| Member | Daisaku Ishihara | Pacific Consultants Co., Ltd. |
| Member | Takashi Inose | Miyaji Engineering Co., Ltd. |
| Member | Hiroshi Ueda | Takigami Steel Construction Co., Ltd. |
| Member | Yuta Ueyama | East Japan Railway Company |
| Member | Takuji Obata | Hokkai-Gakuen University |
| Member | Mori Katsumata | Kawada Industries, Inc. |
| Member | Kentaro Kimura | Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency |
| Member | Yasuyuki Kurihara | JFE Steel Corporation |
| Member | Chie Sakurai | Yokogawa Bridge Corp. |
| Member | Yusuke Sato | Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry |
| Member | Michiaki Takao | JFE Engineering Corporation |
| Member | Shuichi Taya | Central Japan Railway Company |
| Member | Shozo Nakamura | Nagasaki University |
| Member | Sumire Nakamura | National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology |
| Member | Tomohiro Nishibata | Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited |
| Member | Yasuhiro Hirano | Nippon Sharyo, Ltd. |
| Secretary | Masakazu Takeno | Nippon Steel Corporation |
| Observer | Masashi Hattori | Central Nippon Expressway Company Limited |
Last Updated：2026/02/10
Activities
December 1, 2023 – Minutes of the 1st Subcommittee Establishment Meeting April 9, 2024 – Minutes of the 2nd Subcommittee Establishment Meeting May 10, 2024 – Minutes of the 3rd Subcommittee Establishment Meeting June 6, 2024 – Minutes of the 1st Committee Meeting October 18, 2024 – Minutes of the 2nd Committee Meeting March 26, 2025 – Minutes of the 3rd Committee Meeting