Japanese entertainment company starts using hydrogen-fired power for its studio in Tokyo

Toho Co., the creator and film producer behind the hit "Godzilla" series, has started using hydrogen-fired electricity for its main studio in Tokyo, becoming the first company in Japan to commercially use such power, Kyodo reported.

Jera Co., a joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co., is the green power supplier to Toho Studios, one of the largest film studios in the country.

As part of its zero-emission efforts, the studio, located in the capital's Setagaya Ward, has already been provided with solar-powered energy by Jera. The aim is to achieve complete decarbonization in the facility around 2030.

Jera has constructed a hydrogen power generation facility at its Sodegaura Thermal Power Station in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, for Toho.

The film studio's annual electricity consumption is equivalent to that of around 1,500 average households, according to the companies.

Founded in 1932, Toho Studios has produced classics by renowned Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, including "Seven Samurai," and a string of movies under the Godzilla franchise including "Shin Godzilla" and "Godzilla Minus One."

"We will continue to drive the decarbonization of our industry with the ultimate goal of producing our films and creative content using clean, 24/7 zero-emissions energy, as we work to inspire our customers around the world," Toho President Hiroyasu Matsuoka said in a statement.

Earlier, it was reported that the Japanese government will decide by next spring on a plan for how to recycle or dispose soil in Fukushima Prefecture that was removed during the cleanup following the 2011 nuclear disaster.