From Exhaust Filters to CO2 Filters: Japan Inc. Bets Big on Carbon Capture
Last week’s issue didn’t go out properly — my apologies! You can read it below. Thanks for checking it out🙂🙏 / https://japanclimatecuration.substack.com/p/nuclear-forward-climate-backward
*Editor’s note: This article was originally published on 12/10/2025 on Linkedin.
🚨Last week’s issue didn’t go out properly — my apologies! You can read it below🙂🙏
https://japanclimatecuration.substack.com/p/nuclear-forward-climate-backward
🎧🗣️Audio Versions of this newsletter are available thanks to NotebookLM
In English🇺🇲: Japan Climate Curation vol. 182 [4:27 min.]
In Japanese🇯🇵: Japan Climate Curation vol. 182 [6:17 min.]
🚀Now, the English audio digest of a sister publication, Climate Curation, which covers mainly non-Japanese global climate news topics, is available in English.
🇺🇲Climate Curation vol. 187 audio summary in English [4:58 min.]
🇯🇵Climate Curation vol. 187 音声概要 [5:01 min.]
Welcome! I'm Hiroyasu Ichikawa, ichi, and this is issue 182 of the "Japan Climate Curation" newsletter📬, which has been curating hand-picked Japan-related climate news content every week since spring 2022, with over 480 subscribers [ more than 3,060 on LinkedIn]. 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 your preferred network – you never know who else in your network might benefit from staying in the loop on Japan's climate scene🙂🙇
*note : "Climate Curation" a different climate newsletter in Japanese (every Saturday) is available on Linkedin / note / theLetter. It curates Japan and global climate-tech trends. I hope you like it.
【Digest of this week’s topics】
Nuclear Trifecta: Japan’s nuclear push accelerates—Hokkaido approves Tomari Unit 3 restart; Kansai Electric begins Mihama surveys for first new reactor since Fukushima; Niigata to vote on Kashiwazaki-Kariwa (world’s largest) by Dec 22, potentially TEPCO’s first post-Fukushima restart. Carbon Capture Momentum: Heirloom Carbon engages Japanese giants—NGK pivoting to DAC filters by 2030; Hitachi, Daikin, Chiyoda in talks; targeting $100/ton. Deep Sky and SMBC announce DAC partnership at DeCarbon Tokyo 2025. Clean Energy Frontiers: Helical Fusion signs Japan’s first fusion PPA; Kumejima’s OTEC facility expands to Malaysia and Palau as 24/7 baseload solution. Offshore Wind Reset: Mitsubishi exits three projects, but government responds with 40% inflation adjustment and EEZ expansion law; JERA and Mitsui press forward. EV Infrastructure: Tesla to expand Japanese chargers 40% to 1,000+ by 2027; NACS standard gains traction with Mazda, Sony Honda, and Stellantis.
*Disclaimer: Generative AI tools such as Gemini3.0, ChatGPT, Claude and NotebookLM have been used for summary and translation assistance. 🙂
[🇯🇵📰👀Japan Climate News Headlines]
【1】Hokkaido governor approves Hokkaido Elec Tomari nuclear power plant restart [12/10 Reuters]
Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki approved the restart of Hokkaido Electric Power’s Tomari nuclear plant Unit 3 on Dec 10. The 912MW reactor has been offline since 2012 amid post-Fukushima safety measures. The utility aims to complete seawall construction by March 2027 and restart thereafter.
【2】In a Quiet Fishing Town, Japan Steps Toward a New Nuclear Era [12/5 Bloomberg]
Kansai Electric has begun geological surveys at its Mihama Nuclear Power Plant for a potential new reactor—the first such effort by a Japanese utility since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Only 14 of Japan’s 54 reactors are currently operational, with fossil fuels now covering approximately 70% of the nation’s electricity needs. Amid an aging workforce and significant talent shortages threatening to erode decades of accumulated expertise, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is advocating strongly for nuclear power as essential for Japan’s energy independence. The global revival of nuclear energy, driven by AI and data center demand, adds momentum to this shift. The survey will continue until 2030, with construction costs estimated at ¥1-2 trillion ($6-13 billion).
【3】A Japanese regional assembly is set to vote by December 22 on restarting nuclear plant [12/3 Reuters]
The Niigata regional assembly will vote by December 22 on restarting Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the world’s largest. Shut down since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, it would be TEPCO’s first restart. PM Takaichi supports nuclear restarts for energy security, though locals worry about evacuation.
【4】Japan’s exhaust filter expertise attracts carbon-capture attention [12/9 Nikkei Asia]
California-based Heirloom Carbon Technologies is actively engaging Japanese firms for their renowned cost-reduction expertise and manufacturing precision. NGK, the world’s largest automotive exhaust filter maker, is strategically pivoting to DAC filters as EV adoption threatens its core business, targeting mass production by 2030. Heirloom is in procurement talks with:
Hitachi for compressors
Daikin for sensors
Chiyoda for engineering
Trading houses Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsui for financing and offtake deals
Six Japanese companies have already invested in the startup. Backed by Microsoft as its largest customer and Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures as top investor, the company aims to cut CO2 capture costs from several hundred dollars to $100/ton within 10 years.
【5】Deep Sky And Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation To Advance DAC And CDR In Japan [12/4 Carbon Herald]
Canadian carbon removal developer Deep Sky and Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) have formed a strategic partnership to advance direct air capture (DAC) and high-integrity carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in Japan. Announced at DeCarbon Tokyo 2025 on December 3-4, the collaboration targets three priority areas:
Creating pathways for DAC carbon credit offtakes in Japan
Fostering local and international collaborations with Japanese companies
Advancing Japan’s DAC ecosystem and enabling policy
【6】Japanese nuclear fusion startup Helical signs breakthrough energy deal [12/8 Nikkei Asia]
Nuclear fusion startup Helical Fusion has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Nagoya-based supermarket chain Aoki Super—the first such deal by a Japanese fusion startup. Globally, fusion PPAs remain rare, with only U.S. companies Helion Energy (Microsoft) and Commonwealth Fusion (Google, Eni) having signed similar deals. Electricity supply from a fusion plant is planned for the 2030s, with a pilot plant targeted by 2040. CEO Takaya Taguchi emphasized that securing end users provides a clear “exit” to attract investment in the industry. The Japanese government has designated fusion as one of 17 strategic fields, considering a ¥100 billion supplementary budget allocation.
【7】Japan’s power-from-seawater project attracts global attention [12/5 NHK World]
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is attracting global attention as a promising source of round-the-clock clean electricity. A test facility on Kumejima Island in Okinawa, built on Saga University’s 50 years of research, has operated stably for over a decade. The system exploits the 20°C temperature difference between warm surface seawater and cold water pumped from depths exceeding 600 meters, vaporizing low-boiling-point liquids like ammonia to spin turbines. Its key advantage is providing stable baseload power 24/7, regardless of weather conditions. To offset high costs, used seawater is recycled for aquaculture—including sea grapes and oysters—generating approximately $17 million annually and creating 140 jobs. The technology is now expanding internationally, with a Saga University-designed facility launching in Malaysia last October and Palau planning its own plant.
【8】Japanese companies take major stakes in US synthetic gas project [12/2 Nikkei Asia]
Osaka Gas, Toho Gas, and Itochu have acquired a combined 33.3% stake in the Live Oak synthetic gas project in Nebraska, led by TotalEnergies and TES, valued at $1 billion. The project will produce e-methane by combining renewable hydrogen with biogenic CO2. However, plans have been scaled back from 100,000–200,000 tons to 75,000 tons annually, with the final investment decision delayed to 2027. Cost remains a challenge, with e-methane estimated at four times the price of LNG.
【9】Tesla plans for more than 1,000 EV chargers across Japan by 2027 [12/6 Nikkei Asia]
Tesla plans to expand its Japanese charging network by 40% by 2027, increasing charging posts from 695 to over 1,000 across 180-200 locations. The expansion targets areas beyond major metropolitan regions. Tesla’s Japan sales have doubled year-on-year to approximately 10,090 vehicles in January-November 2024, capturing 30% of the standard EV market. The expanded charging infrastructure aims to differentiate Tesla from Japanese competitors like Nissan’s new Leaf and Suzuki’s first EV, the e Vitara. ABB and PowerX plan to deploy Tesla-compatible chargers, while Mazda, Sony Honda Mobility, and Stellantis are adopting Tesla’s NACS standard, potentially accelerating industry standardization in Japan’s nascent EV market.
【10】Japan’s offshore wind sector: Down but not out [12/9 IEEFA]
In August 2025, Mitsubishi withdrew from three offshore wind projects due to soaring construction costs, raising concerns about Japan’s offshore wind sector. However, the government has begun reforming its auction framework, allowing up to 40% inflation adjustment in bid prices and diversifying evaluation criteria. A June 2025 law now permits offshore wind development in Japan’s EEZ, significantly expanding potential sites. Other developers like JERA and Mitsui continue advancing their projects, with industry leaders stating the sector “hasn’t even truly begun.” While structural challenges remain, institutional improvements suggest Japan’s offshore wind ambitions are down but not out.
📬That's all for this week! Thank you for reading(or skimming) 🙇. I hope you will have a wonderful week ahead!
Did you 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☕.
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ichi (Hiroyasu Ichikawa)