BLAZING CHANGE: Japan Battles Wildfires While Industries Forge Green Solutions
Japan faces climate challenges with major wildfires across western prefectures and forecasts of higher June temperatures. Osaka Expo 2025 will showcase various sustainable technologies.
*Editor’s note: This article was originally published on 3/26/2025 on Linkedin.
Welcome! I'm Hiroyasu Ichikawa, ichi, and this is issue 146 of the "Japan Climate Curation" newsletter📬, which has been curating hand-picked Japan-related climate news content every week since spring 2022, with over 440 subscribers [ more than 2,740 on Linedin]. You can subscribe by clicking on the Linkedin page or the form below.
I hope you find the articles below beneficial for reading (or skimming)!
Found this week's news 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🙂🙇
*Disclaimer: Generative AI tools such as Claude Sonet 3.5 has been used for summary and translation assistance 🙂
【Digest of this week's topics】
Japan faces climate challenges with major wildfires across western prefectures and forecasts of higher June temperatures. Industries are responding through decarbonization initiatives, with JERA planning seasonal coal plant shutdowns from 2026 and Nippon Steel using hydrogen to reduce emissions in steelmaking. Innovation continues through "Solar Sharing" technology, which combines agriculture with solar power generation, while the upcoming Osaka Expo 2025 will showcase various sustainable technologies. Government support for climate tech startups continues through dedicated programs.
[🇯🇵📰👀Japan Climate News Headlines]
【1】Japan's cherry blossom season begins as first blooms appear in Tokyo [3/24 AP]
The Japan Meteorological Agency officially announced the start of cherry blossom season as more than five flowers bloomed on Somei Yoshino trees at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine
The blooming matches the average year and is five days earlier than last year, with Tokyo experiencing warmer-than-usual temperatures (19°C)
Cherry blossoms have influenced Japanese culture for centuries, symbolizing life, death, and rebirth in poetry and literature
The announcement in Tokyo came one day after the confirmation of this year's first cherry blossom blooming in Kochi on Shikoku island
Recent trends of earlier cherry blossom seasons provide valuable data suggesting the impact of climate change
*Japan’s Cherry Blossom Blooming Information
【2】Wildfires raging in three western Japan prefectures [3/26 NHK World]
The wildfire in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, has burned 306 hectares and issued evacuation orders for 6,000 people.
Fire in Okayama and Tamano cities burned 311+ hectares and damaged six structures, and evacuation orders were issued.
A new wildfire broke out Tuesday in the Kagamizu area of Miyazaki City, and 70 households were evacuated.
Self-Defense Force helicopters were deployed in all three prefectures, but the fires remained uncontrolled.
Dry weather conditions forecast, raising concerns about further fire spread.
【3】Higher-than-usual temperatures forecast in June for much of Japan [3/25 NHK World]
Japan's weather agency forecasts higher-than-usual June temperatures across most of Japan
In June, two high-pressure Pacific and Tibetan Plateau systems will cause elevated temperatures from northern to western Japan.
Northern Japan's three-month average temperature will be higher than usual, while eastern and western Japan will be higher or normal.
The Okinawa and Amami regions will have normal or higher temperatures in June, with regular three-month averages.
Officials advise taking heatstroke precautions and staying updated on rainfall information due to recent disaster-causing downpours.
【4】Japan's JERA to shut coal plants during off-season to cut carbon [3/21 Nikkei Asia]
JERA will shut down some coal plants during spring and fall low-demand periods starting in the fiscal year 2026
LNG will be used to fill gaps when demand rises or renewable output decreases
J-Power already began adjusting coal operations seasonally in western Japan in 2023, improving profitability.
Coal accounts for about 30% of Japan's electricity despite emitting twice the CO2 of LNG
Coal procurement costs are expected to rise as Australian mines (supplying 70% of Japan's thermal coal) close.
【5】Regulations needed to spur airlines to use sustainable fuel, Japan oil refiners group head says [3/21 Reuters]
Petroleum Association chairman calls for concrete regulations for airlines to promote SAF use.
Cosmo Energy will launch Japan's first domestic SAF production in April
Japanese refiners must supply SAF equivalent to 10% of aviation fuel sales by 2030
Currently, no mandatory scheme exists requiring airlines to use SAF
A carbon neutrality transition requires transformation across the entire supply chain, from suppliers to consumers
【6】Nippon Steel races Asian rivals to hone green technology [3/24 Nikkei Asia]
Nippon Steel achieved 43% CO2 reduction using hydrogen in steelmaking
Competitors in China and South Korea are rapidly advancing low-carbon steel technologies
Targeting commercialization by 2040, potentially 5-10 years behind competitors
Also focusing on improving direct-reduced iron process using lower-quality iron ore
Securing green hydrogen in Japan remains a challenge; gray and blue hydrogen will be used initially
【7】"Solar Sharing" enables both agriculture and power generation simultaneously [3/24 BS Asahi]
The TV program "Earth Crisis" introduced "Solar Sharing," installing solar panels above farmland
Led by Mr. Higashi's companies, Community Energy Chiba and Tera
Technology could meet Japan's entire power demand if installed on just 16.8% of agricultural land
Major companies like Patagonia and Ron Herman have begun investing in this concept
When combined with "no-till farming," these technologies reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving soil health
【8】Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai: Exploring future technologies shaping the sea, sky and land [3/19 Prime Minister's Office of Japan]
Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai (April 13- October 13) is themed around "sea, sky, and land," showcasing innovative technologies for a sustainable future
Japanese companies' exhibits include touchable holograms (Nera), artificial hearts made from human cells (QuRPS), and glowing plants (LEP)
Environmental technologies include wave-powered generators (Yellow Duck Inc.), transparent solar cells (Optimus), and microalgae-based biomass production (Chos Group)
All technologies offer solutions to pressing global environmental issues
【9】31 startups newly selected under the fifth round of the J-Startup Program [3/13 METI]
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced 31 newly selected startups under the fifth round of the J-Startup program
Since its launch in 2018, the program has selected 239 companies in total
This round includes numerous environmental innovation companies such as EF Polymer (organic polymer development), Innoqua (environmental transfer technology), and Pirika (litter collection platform)
Selected companies gain better access to government support measures and private sector resources
The program aims to nurture internationally competitive Japanese startups
TECHNIUM Global Conference is an invitation-only event held at Imperial Hotel Tokyo on May 7-8, 2025
Will gather approximately 2,000 researchers, startups, investors, and government officials to showcase Japanese deep tech globally
Features three main components: "Connecting" (industry-academia-government collaboration), "Session" (expert discussions), and "Showcase" (presentations of about 500 technology seeds)
Aims to create Japanese innovation for the global market
📬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 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🙂🙇
The "Climate Curation" newsletter in 🇯🇵Japanese (every Saturday) is available on Linkedin and theLetter.
Please feel free to contact me via email: hiroyasu.ichikawa [@]socialcompany.org, if you have any research/consulting needs for your business or just for a coffee chat☕.
My personal Twitter(X) account (in 🇯🇵Japanese) @SocialCompany
BlueSky account(English): socialcompany.bsky.social]
ichi (Hiroyasu Ichikawa)