Japan Climate Watch: Political Upheaval Meets Clean Energy Ambitions

Welcome! I am Hiroyasu Ichikawa, ichi, and this is issue 128 of the "Japan Climate Curation" newsletter?? The newsletter has been curating Japan-related climate news content weekly since the spring of 2022 and has over 2,580 subscribers. You can subscribe by clicking on the LinkedIn page or the substack link .

I hope you find the articles below beneficial for reading (or skimming)!

Found this week's insights valuable? Please give it a quick "like" or "share" on LinkedIn – you never know who else in your network might benefit from staying in the loop on Japan's climate scene????

*note 1: "Climate Curation" newsletter in ???? Japanese (every Saturday) is available on Linkedin / note / theLetter . It curates Japan and global climate-tech trends. I hope you like it.

*Disclaimer: Generative AI tools such as Claude Sonet 3.5 have been used for summary and translation assistance ??

[????????Japan Climate News Headlines]

【1】Voters deliver a historic rebuke to Japan’s ruling coalition - But the Liberal Democratic Party may still hang on to power [10/28 The Economist]

• In Japan's October 27th lower-house elections, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) coalition failed to secure a parliamentary majority for the first time since 2009. Under new Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, the LDP-Komeito coalition dropped to 215 seats, below the required 233 for a majority.
• This shift reflects public frustration over political scandals, including ties to the Unification Church and a tax evasion scandal, alongside rising living costs. While the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party gained 148 seats, no party secured a clear mandate, throwing Japanese politics into uncertainty.

【2】Japan’s election leaves energy policy in limbo [10/28 Argus Media]

• LDP and Komeito's historic defeat leaves the Japanese parliament without majority control for the first time in 15 years.
• Nuclear energy policy faces uncertainty as parties hold conflicting stances on nuclear power.
• Political realignment challenges threaten Japan's 2050 net-zero emissions goals and energy security plans

【3】Japan to commercialize carbon capture by 2030 as power demand grows - Technology expected to be pillar of much-anticipated energy strategy [10/30 Nikkei Asia]

• Japan is positioning carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a crucial component of its national energy strategy, targeting commercial operations by 2030. Nine Japanese business groups are planning pilot projects in Japan and Malaysia, with the government aiming to store 6-12 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030, increasing to 120-240 million tonnes by 2050. While CCS costs between $65-130 per tonne, making it commercially unviable without subsidies, Japan expects it to become competitive by 2040. Due to limited domestic storage capacity, Japan will likely need to store 80% of captured CO2 overseas.

【4】Japan Restarts Nuclear Power Plant Closest to 2011 Quake [10/29 Bloomberg?? / ??GIft URL ]

• The Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant's Unit 2, located nearest the 2011 Tohoku earthquake's epicenter, has resumed operations after 13 years. This restart marks a significant milestone in Japan's nuclear energy revival efforts. Despite being closest to the quake, Onagawa avoided the fate of Fukushima Dai-ichi. The plant's reopening is crucial for eastern Japan's power supply and represents the first reactor restart in the region. While nuclear power previously provided 25% of Japan's electricity, it dropped to 6% by March 2023. Currently, 13 of 33 operable reactors are functioning nationwide.

【5】Tesla to retail home batteries through Yamada, Japan's top chain - As car sales slow, U.S. EV giant expands virtual power plant business [10/23 Nikkei Asia]

• Tesla partners with Yamada Denki, Japan's largest electronics retailer, to sell Powerwall home batteries nationwide.
• Powerwall stores 13.5kWh (average household daily use) priced at ￥2.08M ($13,700).
• Strategic expansion into Japan's VPP market coincides with the government's 2026 electricity trading initiative

【6】Japan's jet fuel shortage forces airlines to scrap new flights - Downsized refining, shipping capacity lead to crunch amid rising travel demand [10/23 Nikkei Asia]

• Japan's domestic oil industry restructuring has led to severe jet fuel shortages, forcing airlines to cancel approximately 60 weekly flights at Narita airport alone
• The shortage stems from reduced refinery capacity (down from 36 to 19 facilities since 2000) and logistics issues, not from high fuel prices
• This crisis threatens Japan's tourism goals, particularly its target of 60 million annual visitors by 2030

*Japan jet fuel shortage costs Hokkaido foreign tourist dollars - Lack of airport workers also prevents the island from welcoming more international visitors [10/29 Nikkei Asia]

• Hokkaido's international tourism growth (7% vs 2019) lags significantly behind Tokyo (90%) and Osaka (40%) due to jet fuel and staff shortages
• Foreign tourists spend significantly more (￥137,180) than domestic tourists (￥91,518) per stay, with total foreign spending reaching ￥321 billion in FY2023
• Airport infrastructure issues led to approximately 4,700 canceled room nights in July-September, while 75% of accommodations reported staff shortages

【7】Shedding Light on the Global Water Cycle: Oki Taikan / Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo [10/21 NHK World]

• In 2024, Oki Taikan was awarded the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize for his contributions to more sustainable water management on a global scale. He shares his research and proposals for the future.

【8】Youths argue for right to live on safe planet in climate suit against Japan firms [10/25 The Mainichi]

• 16 young plaintiffs sue 10 Japanese thermal power companies, demanding CO2 emissions reduction aligned with IPCC targets
• Plaintiffs seek 48% reduction by 2030 and 65% by 2035 versus 2019 levels, citing human rights concerns
• Power companies contest lawsuit, arguing IPCC targets aren't legally binding for private firms

【9】Videos & Slides available: Japan Climate Action Summit 2024, 18 October [10/24 Japan Climate Initiative (JCI)]

• The Japan Climate Action Summit 2024 showcased critical discussions on Japan's climate future, emphasizing the urgent need for more robust climate policies and renewable energy adoption. The summit featured international experts and called for ambitious 2035 emission targets aligned with global 1.5℃ goals.

【10】REOPEN to COP29 | Join a JCI message: Japan needs an ambitious 2035 emissions reduction target aligned with 1.5℃ targets! [10/29 Japan Climate Initiative (JCI)]

• JCI calls for Japan to set an ambitious 2035 GHG reduction target of 66% or more (compared to 2013 levels) aligned with 1.5°C goals
• The initiative urges the complete phase-out of coal-fired power generation by 2035 and a transition to 65-80% renewable energy
• 216 Japanese non-state actors have endorsed this message, with more endorsements welcome until November 20th, 5:00 PM

??That's all for this week! Thank you for reading(or skimming) ??. I hope you will have a wonderful week ahead!

Found this week's news topics valuable? Please give it a quick "like" or "share" on LinkedIn – you never know who else in your network might benefit from staying in the loop on Japan's climate scene????

*note: "Climate Curation" newsletter in ???? Japanese (every Saturday) is available on Linkedin / note / theLetter . It curates Japan and global climate-tech trends. I hope you like it.

• Please feel free to email me?at hiroyasu.Ichikawa [@]socialcompany.org if you have any research/consulting needs for your business or just want to have a coffee chat?.
• My personal Twitter(X) account (in ????Japanese) @SocialCompany

ichi (Hiroyasu Ichikawa)