April 2012

The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association

Vol. 12-02

1. HVAC&R JAPAN 2012
JRAIA held an exposition titled “HVAC&R JAPAN 2012” at the Tokyo International Exhibition
Center (Tokyo Big Sight) for four days from 14 February through 17.
Under the theme “Temperature Technologies
Bring about Breakthroughs,” HVAC&R JAPAN
2012,

the37thheating,ventilating,airconditioning and refrigerating exposition, took
place with participation of 147 exhibitors,
including 17 from overseas, and a total of 650
booths were used to display their world-leading,environmentally-friendly, and latest equipment, systems and solutions.
Concurrent events given during the expo were lectures, presentations by exhibitors, and a study tourof the district heating and cooling facility at Minato-Mirai 21 in Yokohama.
Opening Ceremony and Reception
From 9:50 am of 14 February, the first day of the expo, the opening ceremony was held in front of theentrance to the expo, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was performed by guests, Mr. Toshimitsu Fujiki
of METI and Mr. Huang Hui of CRAA, along with JRAIA Chairman Mr. Katsuhiko Fujiwara, JRAIA
Vice-Chairmen Mr. Shinya Okada and Mr. Akira Naka,and JRAIA Executive Committee Chair Mr. KenjiAkatani. From 11:00 am just after the opening
ceremony was finished, a congratulatory reception wasgiven at the Reception Hall. JRAIA Chairman Mr.
Fujiwara, on behalf of the organizer, delivered theopeningspeech,

which

wasfollowedbythecongratulatory address by Mr. Fujiki of METI.
Speech of JRAIA Chairman Mr. Fujiwara
HVAC&R JAPAN expo dates back to 1956, marking the 37th event this year. In the year 1956 whenthe expo was held for the first time, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute was founded, and thenJapan’s nuclear power plant started its operation.
1

For more than half a century, we’ve hardly had much debate about energy sources although we’ve
continued to pursue higher energy efficiency. However, the disastrous quake and tsunami last year
completely changed our attitude toward Japan’s energy policy. There will be a growing demand
from the industry and household as well for products which are highly efficient, can operate with any
type of energy source, and can satisfy various life styles.
Apart from this, there remain a lot of problems we have to tackle; for example, to work out effective
measures to prevent global warming by refrigerants, and to develop products which are mostenvironmentally-friendly and which can be completely recycled.
Under the theme “Temperature Technologies Bring about Breakthroughs,” various control
equipment covering all temperature ranges are on display.

With these new products andtechnologies presented here, there will be new business opportunities as well as valuable
information exchanges.
I hope HVAC&R JAPAN 2012 will help exhibitors make a great jump in their businesses and thatJapan’s refrigeration and air conditioning technology will continue to lead the world.
Number of Visitors
Tuesday, February 14

cloudy/rainy

6,525

Wednesday, February 15

cloudy/fair

7,441

Thursday, February 16

cloudy/snowy

8,408

Friday, February 17

cloudy/fair

7,182

Total visitors for four days

29,556

2. Meeting with AHRIJRAIA had a meeting with Mr. Stephen R. Yurek, the president of AHRI, on 9 April 2012 in Tokyo.
The purpose of this meeting was to exchange the latest information on the next-generation
refrigerants for air-conditioning equipment.
During the meeting, participants renewed their awareness of key issues such as EU F-GAS
regulation review, progress of A2L refrigerants risk assessment being conducted under therespective programs of USA and Japan, and concern about HC refrigerant risk in some countries.
In conclusion, they consolidated the alternative refrigerants policy that refrigerants should be
evaluated by not only GWP but also comprehensive warming impact like LCCP, and re-confirmed totackle the next-generation refrigerant issues in collaboration with industry associations in the world.

3. Meeting with DuPONTJRAIA had two meetings with DuPONT in Tokyo to discuss several issues related to the next-2generation refrigerants.
The 1st meeting was held on 3 April 2012 with Mr. Mack McFarland from DuPONT.
In the meeting, the discussion was made on alternative refrigerants, the world movement of F-GASs
regulations, HFC Cap& Reduction jointly proposed to MOP by North American three countries.
On 17 April 2012, the 2nd meeting was held with Mr. Greg M. Rubin who briefed about HCFC
Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP), progress of EU F-GAS Regulation review, perspective ofrefrigerant conversion, HFO production plan and development of new refrigerants by DuPONT.
During the meetings, DuPONT gave us valuable information and JRAIA explained our policy thatchoice of the next-generation refrigerants should be made by not only GWP value but also
comprehensive assessment of safety, performance, economical efficiency and so on, referring to index
such as LCCP.
JRAIA works continuously with related enterprises and industry associations on the next-generation
refrigerants.

4. Ozone2Climate Technology Road Show and Industry Roundtable
An Ozone2Climate Technology Road Show and Industry Roundtable was organized jointly by UNEPand CRAA from 11 to 13 April, 2012 in Beijing. Mr. Kishimoto, the President of JRAIA, was invited tothis meeting. Also two Japanese were invited as a speaker. Mr. Eiji Hihara, Professor of University ofTokyo and Mr. Satoshi Sadatani of METI made presentations titled ‘Performance Consideration inAdopting Zero-ODP and Low-GWP Refrigerants’ and ‘Japanese Industry-Government Partnership toprotect Ozone Layer and the Climate for future generation’ respectively.

5. RAC and PAC Domestic Shipments
RAC shipments in January showed a 15% drop from the same month of 2011, however, it was thesecond highest since JRAIA started the statistics. Heat Pump demand for heating due to the cold
winter across the country seems likely to push up the shipments.
Reconstruction demand from the Great East Japan Earthquake is considered attributing tofavorable PAC shipments in February and March.
Jan 2012
units※Y on Ybasis %

Feb 2012
units

Y on Ybasis %

Mar 2011
Units

Y on Ybasis %

RAC

415,58884.9

512,124

105.2

678,736

112.0

PAC

50,706

95.8

58,343100.6

73,753103.4

RAC: Residential Air-conditioners

PAC: Commercial Air-conditioners

36. 2011 Estimates of World Demand for Air Conditioners
JRAIA is soon to publish ‘ 2011 Estimates ofWorldDemandforAirConditioners‘.

We

estimated the total global air conditioner
demand (RAC &PAC) in 2011 at about 92,000
thousand units, a year-on-year increase of 8%.
For detailed information by countries, access
JRAIA’s website, http://www.jraia.or.jp

The International Symposium2012 in Kobe
JRAIA is pleased to inform you that “TheInternational Symposium on New Refrigerants
and Environmental Technology 2012” will takeplace on 8 & 9 November at International
Conference Center Kobe, Main Hall, Kobe,Japan.
Please visit the following site for more
information
http://www.jraia.or.jp/english/symposium/index.html

Office: Kikai Shinko Bldg. 201. 3-5-8, Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan
URL: http://www.jraia.or.jp Contact: tajima@jraia.or.jp:kao224@jraia.or.jp

4