U.S. Obtains 100% Access to Growing Japanese Ethanol Market

For the first time in history, the U.S. has full access to the Japanese biofuels market. The East-Asian country has revised its U.S. corn ethanol carbon intensity score, according to the U.S. Grains Council Director of Global Market Development Mackenzie Boubin. In 2020, Japan allowed up to 66% market access, but as of March 31st of this year, the U.S. has achieved a “potential 100% market access,” according to Boubin.

The change could result in an additional 80 million gallons of U.S. ethanol being exported to Japan. Currently at a 3% blending requirement, an adjustment to just a 10% requirement could capture an additional 1.2 billion gallons of ethanol demand.

Read more on biofuel market access in Japan here.