Japan is backing a $2.1 billion energy infrastructure project in the Houston region — further strengthening the area’s role in global oil exports.
As part of President Donald Trump’s $550 billion trade agreement, Japan is investing in the Texas GulfLink project, a deepwater crude oil export terminal in Brazoria County. Once fully operational, the terminal is projected to generate $20 billion to $30 billion in annual U.S. crude exports, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The project is designed to move oil to global markets faster and at lower cost.
Today, the largest oil tankers cannot fully load at port. Instead, smaller ships shuttle crude back and forth to offshore vessels — a process that adds time, cost and congestion. Texas GulfLink will allow those large carriers to load offshore in a single step, improving efficiency and reducing traffic at Houston-area ports.
The terminal will also incorporate new emissions-reduction technology, including a vapor recovery system that captures and reuses industrial gases. Developers estimate the streamlined loading process could reduce related emissions by up to 86 percent.
Japanese Investment in Houston
The announcement builds on growing momentum in Japanese investment across the Houston region. Last year, TMEIC Corporation Americas, a subsidiary of Japan’s TMEIC Corporation, relocated its headquarters to Houston and opened a new manufacturing facility in Brookshire. In 2024, Japanese manufacturer TOYO Co. acquired a Houston-based solar module production facility and has since launched operations at the site.
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Houston-Japan Trade Ties
This investment reflects the deepening economic ties between Houston and Japan. Japan is currently Houston’s eighth-largest international trading partner, according to the Greater Houston Partnership’s 2025 Global Houston report. Over the past decade, trade between the two has more than tripled, rising from $4.4 billion in 2015 to $13.5 billion in 2024.
The Partnership has actively worked to strengthen these ties. In 2025, the Partnership led a trade mission to Japan in collaboration with Houston First, the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Houston, the Japan America Society of Houston and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, aimed at expanding economic collaboration and positioning the Houston region as a premier destination for global investment.
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