A Non-Green Non-Transformation: Kishida’s Green Transformation Strategy

Japan’s GX plan perpetuates the energy policy goals that the government’s been declaring for the last decade

Image shamelessly generated with the help of Dall-E2

As the new session of the Japanese Diet begins, much of the debate swirls around raising the defense budget and how to deal with inflation. But a set of policies that so far haven’t received as much attention can shape Japan’s future and its international standing just as much.

I’m referring to the “Green Transformation (GX) Strategic Plan” that the Kishida Cabinet unveiled on December 22 last year. In Kishida’s words, this plan “will bring about a major transformation of all sectors, including energy, and the broader economy and society.” Much of the reporting on this initiative frames it as an effort to shift the fossil fuel-based economy to one powered by clean energy.

But that’s an overstatement. This plan is neither green nor transformative. Rather, it simply restates most of the energy policy goals that the government’s been declaring for the last decade and pledges to accelerate the same trend over the next ten years. That’s not all. Many of the ambitions set out in the plan in fact run counter to Japan’s efforts to decarbonize. And those items that do break from the past are likely to run into difficulties, both economically and politically.