Japan's Energy Policy Aims to Maximise Nuclear Power and Boost Renewables by 2040

Japan is revising its energy strategy to meet rising power demands and decarbonisation goals. A government panel has largely endorsed a new policy aiming to increase renewable energy to half of the electricity supply by 2040. This plan also seeks to maximise nuclear energy use, reversing the phaseout policy adopted after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

Representative image

The Industry Ministry's draft plan, reviewed by a panel of 16 experts, suggests nuclear energy should constitute 20% of Japan's energy by 2040, up from 8.5% last year. Meanwhile, renewables are expected to rise to 40-50% from 22.9%, and coal-fired power should decrease to 30-40% from nearly 70%. The current policy targets for 2030 are 20-22% for nuclear, 36-38% for renewables, and 41% for fossil fuels.

Focus on Renewable Energy and Nuclear Power

Japan aims for net zero emissions by 2050 and a 73% reduction by 2040 compared to 2013 levels. The draft plan prioritises renewables as the main power source and encourages developing next-generation energy technologies like solar batteries. However, some experts argue it lacks a clear feasibility outlook or roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels.

Industry Minister Yoji Muto emphasised the need for diverse energy sources, stating, "How we can secure decarbonised energy determines Japan's future growth." He added that Japan should not choose between renewable and nuclear energy but instead maximise both.

Challenges in Achieving Nuclear Energy Goals

The plan proposes accelerating reactor restarts that meet post-Fukushima safety standards and constructing next-generation reactors at decommissioned sites. However, achieving the 20% nuclear target requires all 33 operational reactors to be online. Currently, only 14 have resumed operations since the Fukushima incident, making the target challenging given the slow pace of safety checks.

The demand for low-carbon energy is increasing due to AI-driven data centres and semiconductor factories across Japan. Despite criticisms about its feasibility, Japan remains committed to developing advanced reactors and pursuing a complete nuclear fuel cycle through a struggling spent fuel reprocessing programme.

The new energy policy is expected to receive Cabinet approval by March after consultations, replacing the current plan from 2021. It outlines potential risks like insufficient investment in renewables but lacks detailed strategies for overcoming these challenges.