Japan Energy Currents
Koizumi, Ishiba, and Kono’s pro-nuclear shift, businesses want more climate action, Japan hydrogen fund, and the thorny issue of Chinese over-dependence
Happy Monday! Early subscribers to Power Japan know that, in addition to my own thoughts and analysis, I used to send out a newsletter that curated Japan energy news. It turns out, how I approached it wasn’t sustainable. Alas, I got burned out. I stopped after a few editions.
But that didn’t change the fact that I still consume a lot of news about Japan, energy, and climate change. Rather than locking up all of that info in my head, I still want to share what I read with you.
So here I am with another attempt. Every week, Japan Energy Currents will highlight recent news and analyses that give us a better understanding of the current moment in Japan’s energy landscape and its role in the global energy transition.
*Apologies in advance — some articles will be in Japanese and some will be paywalled. But I’ll summarize each article with enough detail so you won’t miss out.
This week, I bring you four stories that caught my attention.
How serious are Koizumi, Ishiba, and Kono in their shift in nuclear and energy positions? (Sankei News | in Japanese)
With the LDP presidential race scheduled for September 27, the nine candidates are clarifying their policy stances known while trying to gain support from fellow LDP lawmakers. Koizumi, Ishiba, and Kono have been known for their skepticism/opposition to nuclear energy, but more recently they’ve made pro-nuclear statements as an electioneering tactic. The Sankei article doesn’t actually answer its own question, but it has a nice graphic that shows how far the three men have moved on the issue.
Business group urges government to get serious about climate (Newswitch | in Japanese)
Japan will revise its energy strategy and climate target this year, and the Japan Climate Leaders Partnership (JCLP), a 245-member business group, is pushing the government to set an ambitious climate target. In its policy statement back in July, the JCLP argued for 1) emissions reduction of 75% of higher compared to 2013 by 2035 (Japan’s current target is a 46% cut compared to 2013 by 2030), 2) renewables to account for >60% in the energy mix, and 3) including more energy consuming industries in the policymaking process for a more balanced representation. The group argues that more ambitious climate action will benefit the Japanese economy and that delaying action will hurt it.
Japanese Hydrogen Fund raises $400 million, ready to invest this year (Hydrogen Insight)
With financial backing from Toyota, Iwatani, TotalEnergies, and several financial institutions, the Fund is designed to invest in a wide range of hydrogen-related tech all across the value chain. Launched in parallel with Japan’s hydrogen subsidies, this is a public-private effort to establish a hydrogen supply chain to be imported into Japan.
How China’s dominance of solar and batteries is impacting Japan’s energy transition (The Japan Times)
There’s an unavoidable tension between the global energy transition and an over-reliance on China, a giant in solar, battery, and EV manufacturing. Not only is dependence on China a geo-strategic risk; it brings with it the ugly problem of human rights abuses and forced labor. This in-depth Japan Times article sheds light on the differences between the American and European approach — raising tariffs on Chinese imports and encouraging domestic supply chains — and the Japanese approach — no tariffs and promoting other tech like offshore wind and perovskite solar, as well as dubious things like CCS and ammonia — to circumvent this issue. Oh, and the piece quotes yours truly.
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