Nuclear Forward, Climate Backward? Japan's Energy Paradox Under the Spotlight
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*Editorās note: This article was originally published on 12/4/2025 on Linkedin.
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In Englishšŗš²: Japan Climate Curation vol. 181 [4:49 min.]
In JapanesešÆšµ: Japan Climate Curation vol. 181 [6:08 min.]
šNow, the English audio digest of a sister publication, Climate Curation, which covers mainly non-Japanese global climate news topics, is available in English.
šŗš²Climate Curation vol. 186 audio summary in English [4:56 min.]
šÆšµClimate Curation vol. 186 é³å£°ę¦č¦ [5:17 min.]
Welcome! I'm Hiroyasu Ichikawa, ichi, and this is issueĀ 181Ā of the "Japan Climate Curation" newsletterš¬, which has been curating hand-picked Japan-related climate news content every week since spring 2022, with over 480 subscribers [ more than 3,050 on LinkedIn]. You can subscribe by clicking on theĀ 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 ā you never know who else in your network might benefit from staying in the loop on Japan's climate scenešš
*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.
ćDigest of this weekās topicsć
Nuclear Acceleration: Japan pivots back to nuclearāTomari approved as eastern Japanās first post-Fukushima restart amid surging AI/semiconductor demand; PM Takaichi reaffirms nuclear-centered strategy; 14 reactors online targeting 20% by 2040. Climate Performance Under Fire: Japan ranks 57th in CCPI 2026; Tokyo Gas and JERA abandon renewables while locking in LNG contracts beyond their 2050 net-zero deadlines. Global Cooperation Threatened: Professor Emori warns Trumpās Project 2025 risks fragmenting international climate action. Steel Pathway: BloombergNEF finds scrap-based EAFs could produce zero-emission steel at 18% premium by 2030, avoiding 23.7M tons COā. Hydrogen Pivot: Kansai Electric and Kawasaki Heavy shift to blue hydrogen ($1-4/kg) after green hydrogen setbacks. Policy Tensions: Opposition proposes scrapping car environmental tax, risking weakened EV incentives.
*Disclaimer: Generative AI tools such as Gemini3.0, ChatGPT, Claude, and NotebookLM have been used for summary and translation assistance. š
[šÆšµš°šJapan Climate News Headlines]
ć1ćIn Fukushimaās shadow: Japanās pivot back to nuclear | FT Film [12/1 Financial Times]
Fifteen years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan is fundamentally shifting its energy policy. After shutting down all 54 reactors post-accident, losing 30% of its electricity capacity, Japan relied heavily on imported fossil fuels as renewables proved unable to provide stable baseload power. Russiaās 2022 invasion of Ukraine sent LNG prices soaring, while surging demand from AI and data centers has intensified the power crunch. Currently, 14 reactors are back online, with a target of 20% nuclear power by 2040. The worldās largest nuclear plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, is set to restart by March 2026. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to put nuclear at the center of Japanās energy strategy. Despite the traumatic legacy of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Fukushima, Japan has calculated that in an increasingly unstable world, nuclear power is worth the risk.
ć2ćNorthern Japan reactor set to restart as governor signals approval [11/29 Nikkei Asia]
Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki announced his intention to approve restarting the No. 3 reactor at Tomari Nuclear Power Station, which has cleared post-Fukushima regulatory standards. The decision responds to surging electricity demand driven by AI data centers and semiconductor plants, including SoftBankās Tomakomai facility and Rapidusās chip fabs. Hokkaido expects 13% demand growth over the next decadeāthe highest nationwide. Suzuki cited benefits including lower rates, stable supply, and reduced emissions. Of 14 reactors restarted since Fukushima, 13 are in western Japan; Tomariās restart marks a significant expansion of nuclear power in eastern Japan. Nuclear fuel costs 1.9 yen/kWh versus 6.3 yen for coal and 9 yen for LNG.
ć3ćTakaichi inspects crippled Fukushima nuclear plant [12/3 The Japan Times / JIJI]
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made her first visit to Fukushima Prefecture since taking office in October, inspecting the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant on December 3. The visit, ahead of the 15th anniversary of the disaster next March, aimed to demonstrate her administrationās commitment to reconstruction. She affirmed that decommissioning and treated water discharge are progressing safely, pledging government responsibility through the 2051 completion target. Takaichi also announced plans to dispose of contaminated soil outside Fukushima by 2045 and present a roadmap from 2030. However, Futabaās mayor highlighted ongoing challenges including wild animal intrusions and stalled reservoir decontamination in difficult-to-return zones.
ć4ćāClimate Action at a Crossroadsā - Seita Emori, Deputy Director and Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo [12/2 Japan National Press Club]
Professor Seita Emori of the University of Tokyo spoke at the Japan National Press Club about COP30 outcomes and climate change denial becoming mainstream under the second Trump administration. He traced the history of organized denial campaigns from 1970s tobacco industry tactics to fossil fuel industry-funded networks of conservative think tanks, PR firms, and media. These efforts have now culminated in āProject 2025,ā a policy blueprint being faithfully implemented by the Trump administration through Paris Agreement withdrawal and EPA deregulation. Emori warned this threatens global climate cooperation and urged media vigilance.
ć5ćJapanās largest utilities continue to backslide on clean energy commitments [12/2 IEEFA]
Major Japanese utilities including Tokyo Gas and JERA are abandoning renewable energy targets while expanding overseas LNG investments. Tokyo Gas is investing $2.3 billion in US shale gas and LNG trading while scrapping its renewables plan entirely. The company signed a 20-year contract with Venture Global and is negotiating LNG supplies beyond 2050āits own net-zero target year. JERA plans to boost long-term LNG contracts by 20% to 30 million tonnes per annum by 2030, aiming to become āa portfolio player like BP and Total.ā While both cite āenergy security,ā domestic gas sales are declining, with further reductions expected as nuclear plants restart. Their reliance on unproven technologies like e-methaneācosting roughly 20 times current LNG pricesāraises serious concerns; the Japan Gas Association has already cut its 2050 target from 90% to 50%. Ambiguous policies in the GX strategy and 7th Strategic Energy Plan, placing LNG on equal footing with renewables, signal that increased fossil fuel dependence is acceptable.
ć6ćJapan lost its climate leadership ā and now Australia can help [12/3 The Lowy Institute]
Japan was once a climate leaderāhosting the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and pioneering hybrid vehiclesābut lost momentum after Fukushima in 2011. The country slowed renewable adoption, fixating instead on hydrogen and LNG while China and South Korea seized the lead in EVs and solar. At COP30, Australia signed the BelĆ©m Declaration to transition from fossil fuels, creating both tension and opportunity with Japan, its largest energy export market. Australia can help Japan regain its āclimate mojoā by partnering on green metals processing powered by renewables, encouraging rapid electrification over hydrogen, and aligning regional decarbonization efforts across ASEAN and the Pacific where both nations are major energy donors.
ć7ćJapanās Steel Sector Needs to Use All Low-Carbon Pathways to Reach Emissions Goal: Report [12/2 BloombergNEF]
A new BloombergNEF report finds Japanās steel sector (13% of national emissions) must leverage all low-carbon pathways to meet its 2050 net-zero goal. Scrap-based electric arc furnaces (EAFs) powered by renewables could produce steel at $720/ton by 2030āonly 18% costlier than coal-based BF-BOF but with zero emissions. Hydrogen and CCS pathways remain uncompetitive until 2050. Redirecting Japanās 6.9 million tons of exported scrap domestically could avoid up to 23.7 million tons of COā. The report urges green steel standards and revised incentives currently favoring incumbent BF-BOF owners.
ć8ćJapan ranks 57th in this yearās CCPI, as a very low performing country [CCPI 2026 / GermanWatch]
Japan ranks 57th in CCPI 2026 as a very low performer. Its 60% emission reduction target misses Paris goals. ETS launches in 2026 but faces criticism. Fossil fuels dominate budgets while renewables lack support despite progress. Experts urge stronger targets and coal phase-out by 2030.
ć9ćJapan debates scrapping car environmental tax, pitting industry pressures against climate aims [11/27 Eco-Business]
Japanās opposition party has proposed abolishing the āenvironmental performance levyāāa fuel-efficiency-based car taxāarguing it amounts to double taxation and suppresses domestic sales. Critics warn this would weaken incentives for cleaner vehicles, narrowing the cost gap between EVs and petrol cars. The debate intensifies as Japan faces US tariff pressures while pursuing its 2050 net-zero target.
ć10ćJapanese companies take another crack at Australian hydrogen [11/27 Nikkei Asia]
Kansai Electric and Kawasaki Heavy-backed JSE will jointly procure blue hydrogen from Australia by 2030, pivoting from failed green hydrogen projects. Blue hydrogenās lower cost ($1-4/kg vs. $2-12/kg for green) offers a more viable path after 2024 setbacks when Australian governments withdrew support. Japan sees this as a pragmatic step toward decarbonization by 2050.
š¬That's all for this week! Thank you for reading(or skimming) š. 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 ā you never know who else in your network might benefit from staying in the loop on Japan's climate scenešš
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