From Phaseout to Maximisation: Japan's Bold Nuclear Pivot Takes Shape
đHappy New Year! Japan enters 2026 with a decisive pivotâfrom post-Fukushima phase-out to nuclear "maximisation." A pivotal year for energy transition begins. Thank you for your continued readership.
*Editorâs note: This article was originally published on 1/7/2026 on Linkedin.
đ§đŁïžAudio Versions of this newsletter are available thanks to NotebookLM
In EnglishđșđČ: Japan Climate Curation vol. 185 [4:30 min.]
In JapaneseđŻđ”: Japan Climate Curation vol. 185 [5:48 min.]
Welcome! I'm Hiroyasu Ichikawa, ichi, and this is issue 185 of the "Japan Climate Curation" newsletterđŹ, which has been curating hand-picked Japan-related climate news content every week since spring 2022, with over 500 subscribers [ more than 3,090 on LinkedIn]. You can subscribe by clicking on the Linkedin page or the form below.
đHappy New Year! As this is the first issue of 2026, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your continued readership. I hope you had a restful holiday season. This year promises to be pivotal for Japan's energy transitionâlet's navigate these developments together. Wishing you a prosperous and sustainable year ahead!
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 â you never know who else in your network might benefit from staying in the loop on Japan's climate sceneđđ
*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.
ăDigest of this weekâs topicsă
Nuclear Maximisation: Japan shifts from post-Fukushima phase-out to âmaximisationââtargeting 20% nuclear and 40-50% renewables by 2040; PM Takaichi prioritizes Tomari and Kashiwazaki-Kariwa restarts. GX Push: „150 trillion public-private investment planned; $1.34B subsidies for 100% clean power users (up to 50% capex); GX-ETS begins FY2026 at „1,700â4,300/ton. Floating Wind: Japanâs first commercial floating offshore wind (16.8MW) launches in Gotoâtargets 45GW by 2040. LNG Pivot: North American imports to triple by 2030 (5Mâ14M tons) as Asia-Pacific reserves deplete. Extreme Heat: 2025 marks Japanâs hottest summerâ41.8°C record; 100,000+ heatstroke hospitalizations; âNikiâ (two seasons) enters buzzwords. COP30 Fallout: Japan refuses fossil fuel phaseout roadmap; conference ends without consensus amid US Paris withdrawal. Ammonia Breakthrough: Tsubame BHB begins trial productionâJapanâs first next-gen ammonia using electride catalyst.
*Disclaimer: Generative AI tools such as Gemini3.0, ChatGPT, Claude and NotebookLM have been used for summary and translation assistance. đ
[đŻđ”đ°đJapan Climate News Headlines]
ă1ăâPeople are wrestling with the burdenâ: Japan pivots to focus on nuclear power âmaximisationâ alongside renewables [12/31 The Guardian]
Japanâs new energy plan marks a significant policy shift from post-Fukushima nuclear phase-out to âmaximisation,â targeting 20% nuclear power and 40-50% renewables by 2040. Fukushima prefecture is charting its own path, aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2040, with Japanâs largest onshore wind farmâthe 46-turbine Abukuma facilityânow fully operational. The prefectureâs âlocal production for local consumptionâ model, combining wind and geothermal power, presents new procurement options for companies pursuing RE100 targets or supply chain decarbonization. However, Japanâs refusal to sign Brazilâs fossil fuel phaseout roadmap at COP30 drew international criticism, potentially affecting Japanese companiesâ ESG ratings and overseas investor sentiment. For businesses with global operations, clearly communicating decarbonization commitments is becoming increasingly critical.
ă2ăWith a focus on nuclear power, Takaichiâs energy policy takes shape [01/04 The Japan Times]
PM Takaichiâs energy policy prioritizes nuclear restarts and fusion technology while deprioritizing renewables, especially megasolar. Tomari and Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant restarts were approved, but costs remain unclear. Geothermal gains bipartisan support yet provides only 0.3% of power. Megasolar faces tighter environmental rules while domestic perovskite cells are promoted. LNG investment in the US expands while Japan maintains Russiaâs Sakhalin-2 exemption. The path to 100% energy self-sufficiency faces significant challenges.
ă3ăJapan to Invest US$1.34B on Clean Power to Spur Energy Transition [01/05 CarbonCredits.com]
Japan is preparing to invest approximately $1.34 billion over five years to promote corporate adoption of clean power. The government will provide subsidies to companies that commit to using 100% decarbonized electricity, covering up to 50% of capital costs. This initiative aligns with Japanâs âGreen Transformation (GX) 2040 Vision,â aiming to create stable demand for clean energy and stimulate renewable energy generation expansion. Data centers and manufacturing industries are expected to be the primary beneficiaries.
ă4ăJapanâs green transformation (GX): Promise, paradox, and the path forward [12/30 illuminem]
Japanâs GX aims to mobilize over „150 trillion in public-private investment to transform from fossil fuels to clean energy by 2050. Despite credibility concernsâCOP30 fossil fuel stance, major utilities backsliding on targets, and institutional investorsâ $40.6B fossil fuel exposureâpositive momentum exists: Mandatory GX-ETS from FY2026 with price corridor („1,700-4,300/ton, rising at inflation +3% annually) An âAll-Japanâ maritime decarbonization alliance between major shipping lines and shipbuilders Up to 50% subsidies for companies using 100% decarbonized electricity. Experts at JESE and Decarbon Tokyo stress government-industry collaboration as key to GX success, potentially making Japan a global blueprint for green transformation.
ă5ăToda starts commercial operation of Japanâs first floating wind farm [01/05 Reuters]
Toda Constructionâs consortium launched Japanâs first commercial floating offshore wind farm in Goto, Nagasaki. The 16.8MW facility is the first certified under a new law by METI and MLIT to promote the sector. It uses the worldâs first commercially applied hybrid spar-type floater with a steel upper and concrete lower section. Japan targets 10GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 45GW by 2040, including 15GW+ floating, but the sector faces uncertainty from rising costs and developer withdrawals.
ă6ăJapan LNG imports from North America set to triple by 2030 [12/27 Nikkei Asia]
Japanese energy companies are projected to triple their LNG imports from North America by 2030. Long-term contracts are expected to increase from approximately 5 million tons in 2024 to around 14 million tons by 2030. The Trump administrationâs relaxation of LNG export restrictions, combined with depleting gas reserves in Oceania and Southeast Asia, is driving this expansion. Japan has committed to purchasing an additional $7 billion worth annually, strengthening energy security through source diversification.
ă7ăIn 2025, climate policy was shoved aside even as extreme weather intensified [12/28 The Japan Times]
In 2025, climate policy faced major setbacks as Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on his first day in office, gutted climate research funding, and refused to send a delegation to COP30âleading the conference to end without consensus on fossil fuel transition for the second consecutive year. Meanwhile, extreme weather intensified: Japan recorded its hottest summer ever, with 132 of 153 observation points breaking records and Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture hitting a national high of 41.8°C. Over 100,000 people were hospitalized for heatstroke, and bear attacks reached a record 230 victims. âNikiâ (two seasons) entered Japanâs buzzword rankings, reflecting growing concerns about losing the countryâs traditional four seasons. Despite global policy retreat, Japan advanced adaptation measures including mandatory workplace heatstroke protections, school cooling initiatives, and NAROâs new fruit damage prediction system.
ă8ă2025 Rewind: Extreme summer heat prompts caution, countermeasures in Japan [12/27 The Mainichi Newspaper]
Japan recorded its highest-ever temperature of 41.8°C on August 5, 2025. Over 200 observation points logged 35°C+ âextremely hot daysâ for six consecutive days as high-pressure systems covered the country. In response: Tokyo launched a detailed âheat mapâ with the Japan Weather Association Companies began advising remote work Traditional summer events like fireworks festivals are shifting to spring or autumn. In Sapporo, schools are rushing to install air conditioning, though only about 10% currently have it. Research warns that by the 2060s-2080s, summer heat will require cancellation of intense sports activities in three-quarters of Japan. Health risks are mounting: lifestyle disease patients face 2-5 times higher heatstroke hospitalization rates, and animal doctors warn pets are even more vulnerable than humans.
ă9ăToyota doubles down on internal combustion engines despite China EV shift [01/07 Nikkei Asia]
Toyota is doubling down on internal combustion engine technology despite Chinaâs rapid EV shift, pursuing a market-specific powertrain strategy. The GR GT hybrid sports car, unveiled Dec. 5, features a 4-liter V8 engine and is slated for release around 2027. In the U.S., Toyota will invest up to $10 billion over five years to boost hybrid production, responding to strong demand where hybrids account for 13% of new-vehicle sales. Meanwhile, in China, where sales declined for a third consecutive year, Toyota is developing market-specific EVs like the bZ3X, which topped 10,000 units in November.
ă10ăTsubame BHBâs ammonia synthesis facilities to INPEXâs Kashiwazaki Hydrogen Park begins trial production [01/06 Tsubame BHB]
Tsubame BHB announced trial production of ammonia at INPEXâs Kashiwazaki Hydrogen Park using its proprietary electride catalyst technology. The 500-ton/year facility marks Japanâs first demonstration of next-generation ammonia production from blue hydrogen derived from domestic natural gas. The low-temperature, low-pressure process enables distributed on-site production, unlike conventional Haber-Bosch methods. Selected for the 2025 Global Cleantech 100 as the first Japanese company, Tsubame BHB plans to scale up to 5,000-ton models and expand into Brazil, Africa, and India.
đŹThat's all for this week! Thank you for reading(or skimming) đ. 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 â you never know who else in your network might benefit from staying in the loop on Japan's climate sceneđđ
The "Climate Curation" newsletter in đŻđ”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 chatâ.
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ichi (Hiroyasu Ichikawa)