🗳️ Election Policy Gap, Once-in-a-Decade Heat, Japanese Climate Tech Startups
As Japan heads to the polls this Sunday in a pivotal Upper House election, climate change and energy policies remain largely absent from candidates' appeals...
🎧🗣️Audio Version of this newsletter, thanks to NotebookLM
In English🇺🇲: Japan Climate Curation vol. 160 [11:01 min.]
In Japanese🇯🇵: Japan Climate Curation vol. 160 [7:01 min.]
*Editor’s note: This article was originally published on 7/9/2025 on Linkedin.
Welcome! I'm Hiroyasu Ichikawa, ichi, and this is issue 160 of the "Japan Climate Curation" newsletter📬, which has been curating hand-picked Japan-related climate news content every week since spring 2022, with over 470 subscribers [ more than 2,900 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🙂🙇
【Digest of this week's topics】
Japan's Upper House election on July 20 reveals a policy gap: consumption tax dominates with 53,000 social media posts while climate policies remain absent from campaigns. Japan faces a "once-in-a-decade" heatwave with 19 prefecture alerts and 38.3°C temperatures, prompting workplace protection for workers who face 20% of heatstroke deaths. 14 years after Fukushima, nuclear targets 20% by 2040 as Trump's $500 billion climate cuts force strategy pivots. Data center demand surges 14-fold, driving 350+ billion yen grid investments. Alaska's $44 billion LNG project eyes 30% of Japan's demand. Political discourse lags behind climate realities as Japan navigates energy transformation.
*Disclaimer: Generative AI tools such as Claude Sonet 4 and NotebookLM have been used for summary and translation assistance. 🙂
[🇯🇵📰👀Japan Climate News Headlines]
【1】Japan Upper House Election 2025 - Climate Change & Energy Policy Comparison / Voting Day: July 20, 2025 | Campaign Period: July 3-20
While inflation countermeasures and tax cuts dominate the campaign discourse, climate change and energy policies remain largely absent from candidates' appeals. Therefore, utilizing generative AI and referencing election manifestos and policy data, I have compiled a comprehensive comparison of each party's climate change and energy policies. I hope this analysis serves as a useful reference for eligible voters when casting their ballots this Sunday.
🗳️ Upper House Election: Yomiuri Analysis: Social Media Buzz on Consumption Tax, Cash Handouts, Foreign Nationals Dominates Upper House Election Discussion [7/7 The Japan News]
A Yomiuri Shimbun analysis of social media posts reveals that "consumption tax" dominates discussions about the upcoming House of Councillors election, reaching approximately 53,000 posts and reposts on Saturday. Cash handouts and rising prices are also trending topics, while foreign nationals policies generated 20,000-40,000 posts. The analysis used Meltwater's social media analytics tool to examine X posts from June 26 through Saturday, tracking ten key policy terms. Consumption tax posts included criticism of the Liberal Democratic Party's framing of the tax as essential social security funding, as well as amplifications of opposition calls for abolition or cuts. The data indicates strong voter concern over household budget issues, with pocketbook concerns dominating the political discourse.
【2】🌡️ Heatstroke alert issued for 19 prefectures as Japan enters 'once-in-a-decade' heat wave [7/6 The Japan Times]
Japan's Meteorological Agency issued heatstroke alerts for 19 prefectures on July 6, including Tokyo and Kanagawa, as the country faces a "once-in-a-decade" heat wave lasting through mid-July. Temperatures exceeded 35°C nationwide, with Kuwana, Mie Prefecture reaching 38.3°C. The early end of the rainy season, about 20 days earlier than usual in western Japan, has contributed to the extreme heat. Climate change has strengthened the Pacific high-pressure system and caused meandering westerly winds. Japan recorded its hottest June ever, and sports events have been rescheduled due to dangerous heat conditions.
【3】🚗 Trump decarbonization retreat forces Japan Inc. to revise strategy - US tax cuts to slash EV demand in half with hydrogen investment dwindling [7/6 Nikkei Asia]
Trump's new tax and spending legislation will cut approximately $500 billion in climate-related spending over the next decade. The elimination of EV tax credits and renewable energy support forces Japanese companies like Panasonic and Toyota to revise their U.S. investment plans. Meanwhile, Chinese BYD surpassed Tesla in global EV sales, strengthening China's competitive advantage. The U.S. retreat from decarbonization compels Japanese corporations to make difficult strategic pivots.
【4】⛽ Alaska natural gas pipeline project eyes start for Asian customers - Planned 20m ton LNG capacity equal to 30% of Japan's annual demand [7/8 Nikkei Asia]
Alaska's LNG project aims to start operations by end-2028, transporting gas from northern fields to Anchorage via 1,300km pipeline for Asian market supply. Annual production capacity of 20 million tons equals 30% of Japan's demand. Total investment reaches $44 billion. Taiwan's CPC agreed to purchase 6 million tons annually, Thailand's PTT signed for 2 million tons per year. President Trump signed executive order on first day, calling for Japanese and Korean investment with political backing.
【5】⚛️ Japan switches back to nuclear, 14 years after Fukushima - Sites shut down following the disaster are reactivated, while new plants may follow, sparking opposition [7/7 Financial Times]
Japan has dramatically shifted its nuclear policy 14 years after Fukushima, moving toward reactor restarts and next-generation nuclear plant construction. Rising gas prices from Russia's Ukraine invasion and surging AI data center power demand drive this change. The plan targets 20% nuclear power by 2040, reducing fossil fuel dependence from 70% to 30-40%. Small modular reactors (SMRs) and other advanced technologies are being considered, but local opposition and cautious regulators remain significant obstacles to implementation.
【6】☢️ Nuclear comeback? Japan's plans to restart reactors hit resistance over radioactive waste [7/6 Climate Home News]
Fourteen years after Fukushima, Japan plans to restart nuclear reactors, but radioactive waste storage has become a major obstacle. Two fishing villages in Hokkaido—Suttsu and Kamoenai—are potential sites, with residents sharply divided despite government subsidies worth billions of yen. Concerns about marine contamination and fishing industry impacts persist. The Indigenous Ainu people criticize this as "energy colonialism." Experts call nuclear waste a "showstopper" for nuclear development, potentially jeopardizing Japan's 2050 net-zero goals as the country may resort to fossil fuels if nuclear targets fail.
【7】❄️ As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity [6/29 The Japan Times]
Daikin has established a new sales company and training center in Cambodia to capitalize on surging air conditioning demand in Southeast Asia. Population growth, rising incomes, and extreme heat from climate change are driving this expansion. The global cooling industry accounts for 7% of electricity demand and 3% of carbon emissions, with units expected to jump from 2.4 billion to 5.6 billion by 2050. Daikin aims for net-zero emissions by 2050 through energy-saving technology and eco-friendly R-32 refrigerants. However, experts warn of inequality issues and impacts on vulnerable workers. Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric are pursuing similar strategies in the region.
【8】⚡ Japan's utilities pour billions into power grid amid data center growth - AI demand prompts bolstering of substations, transformers and transmission lines [7/2 Nikkei Asia]
Japanese power companies are heavily investing in grid infrastructure to accommodate the data center construction rush driven by AI growth. Kansai Electric will invest over 150 billion yen from 2026 to strengthen four substations around Osaka, increasing power handling capacity by 30%. TEPCO plans to invest over 200 billion yen in northwestern Chiba grid improvements. Nationwide electricity demand for data centers and semiconductor plants is projected to surge from 3,600 GWh in fiscal 2025 to 51,400 GWh in fiscal 2034, representing a 14-fold increase. The government promotes "Watt-Bit Collaboration" policy for integrated infrastructure development.
【9】🌡️ Japanese firms take steps to protect outdoor workers as heatwave sizzles on [7/7 Reuters]
Japan faces severe heatwave challenges as outdoor workers become increasingly vulnerable to heatstroke. Following record-breaking June temperatures, the government mandated workplace protection measures including air-conditioned clothing and shaded break areas. Companies like Daito Trust Construction have introduced custom cooling jackets with back-mounted fans for 1,500 workers. Construction workers account for nearly 20% of workplace heatstroke deaths, with cases doubling over the past decade. Heatstroke alerts were issued in 30 of 47 prefectures, the highest this year. Workers emphasize that cooling equipment has become essential, reflecting the severity of climate change impacts on workplace safety.
【10】🚀 JETRO, Third Derivative, and New Energy NEXUS Collaborate to Empower Japanese Startups in Global Markets [7/1 JETRO Startup ]
JETRO announces strategic collaboration with Third Derivative and New Energy NEXUS to support Japanese sustainability startups' global expansion. Ten selected companies will receive mentorship, networking opportunities, and hands-on support. The initiative focuses on low-carbon technologies and energy-climate tech, aiming to build international commercial partnerships and enhance competitiveness in global markets through experienced ecosystem partners.
[Selected Startups]
Aqua Theon Inc. (https://aquatheon.com/en)
Atierra Inc. (https://www.atierraclimate.com/
Elephantech Inc. (https://elephantech.com/en/)
Emulsion Flow Technologies Ltd (https://emulsion-flow.tech/en/)
E-ThermoGentek Co.,Ltd (https://e-thermo.securesite.jp/index_en.html)
Helical Fusion Co., Ltd. (https://www.helicalfusion.com/en)
miibio, Inc. (https://www.mii-bio.com/)
Planet Savers, Inc. (https://planetsavers.earth/Home-en)
Rhinoflux Inc. (https://rhinoflux.com/en)
SUN METALON Inc ( https://sunmetalon.com )
📬That's all for this week! Thank you for reading(or skimming) 🙇. I hope you will have a wonderful week ahead!
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ichi (Hiroyasu Ichikawa)