Osaka-based liquid propane gas giant Iwatani Corp. opened a new hydrogen filling station in Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu on Oct. 22. It is the first open to public commercial filling station in Kyushu, and only the second in Japan. It was opened in anticipation of fuel cell vehicles going on sale before the end of the fiscal year. The new station, which cost ¥500 million to build, is located on the premises of Iwatani subsidiary Home Energy Kyushu’s Kokura Center. The hydrogen will be supplied from Saga Prefecture by another group company, Iwatani Industrial Gases Inc. The government plans to open 100 hydrogen stations before the end of fiscal 2015, of which Iwatani has been tasked with building 20 in the four major urban areas. It is also working on opening a mobile filling station in Fukuoka’s Chuo Ward. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 10/23, News release: http://www.iwatani.co.jp/jpn/newsrelease/detail.php?idx=1184
