WASHINGTON, March 19 — The United States and Japan said they had made progress on the first round of projects under their U.S.-Japan Strategic Investment framework and announced a second batch focused on nuclear power and natural gas infrastructure.
The joint announcement followed a summit meeting in Washington on March 19 between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The two governments said the first batch of projects, announced on February 17, was moving forward steadily. Those projects included a $600m industrial synthetic diamond manufacturing project, a $2.1bn US crude oil export infrastructure project, and a $33.3bn natural gas generation project.
They also unveiled a second batch of projects. These include up to $40bn for the construction of small modular reactors by GE Vernova Hitachi in Tennessee and Alabama, up to $17bn for a natural gas generation project in Pennsylvania, and up to $16bn for another natural gas generation project in Texas.
The two governments said the small modular reactor projects would support next-generation power supply, help stabilize electricity prices in the US, and strengthen bilateral technological leadership. The gas generation projects are intended to meet rising electricity demand and support supply chains in strategic sectors tied to economic security. Power from the projects is expected to supply nearby data centers.
Washington and Tokyo said they would continue working on project details under a memorandum of understanding signed on September 4, 2025. The US government said it would seek to speed up regulatory procedures where permitted by law.
The two sides also said they were considering additional projects in areas including small modular reactors, large-scale nuclear reactors, and crude oil infrastructure to expand exports to Japan.
Both governments said the projects were aimed at strengthening economic security, supporting growth in both countries, and deepening co-operation in critical supply chains.
