Asia Tech Wire (Sep 13) -- Toyota Motor, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) and others have invested $410 million in the Japan Hydrogen Fund which specializes in hydrogen-related area, according to Nikkei.

The fund to promote the hydrogen energy industry, to be run by a consortium of domestic companies, will be launched within the year, and has now completed its first phase of financing, raising $410 million (60 billion yen) from eight companies, including Toyota Motor and SMFG.

The fund has about 450 companies participating and plans to make its first investment this year to establish a hydrogen supply chain.