Publication date: July 1, 2026 Key Takeaways Japan has set concrete targets for its nuclear power policy, but its nuclear revival faces four major challenges: nuclear waste management, gaining local consensus, high investment costs, and securing human resources. Despite these challenges, Japan will push forward with nuclear development in the coming decades. Japan’s Nuclear Revival …
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Publication date: June 30, 2026 Japan to Update Battery Industry Strategy With New Targets and Timelines Amid a global oversupply of batteries, Japan aims to differentiate its domestic production by focusing on high-value-added areas such as performance and safety, alongside next generation battery technology. In response to evolving conditions, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and …
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Publication date: June 23, 2026 METI Outlines Plan to Replace Up to 14 Nuclear Reactors by the 2050s The advisory body meeting of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has revealed a target to replace up to five nuclear reactors by the 2040s and a total of 11 to 14 reactors by the …
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Publication date: June 2, 2026 BESS Integration Accelerates Across FIP Renewables and Thermal Power Plants As the global energy crisis persists and Japan faces growing pressure to balance its carbon-neutral agenda with energy supply security, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are increasingly being deployed not only alongside renewable energy assets, but also at conventional power …
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Publication date: May 19, 2026 METI Selects 38 Candidate GX Strategic Zones for Final Approval This Summer The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) selected promising zones under its GX Strategic Zone System, which aims to promote integrated development of decarbonized power and telecommunications infrastructure (‘watt-bit’ integration). A total of 38 zones were chosen …
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Publication date: May 13, 2026 Japan Data Center Update 17: Utsunomiya Tender, TEPCO PG Aiming to Halve Connection Lead Time, and Tighter Capacity Rules Utsunomiya Becomes Japan’s First City to Launch a Public Tender for Data Center Development Nikkei reported that Utsunomiya will become the first city in Japan to launch a public tender to …
Publication date: April 21, 2026 METI to Limit Grid Connection Study Applications by Region to Manage Surge in BESS The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)’s expert committee has recently decided to introduce a cap on the number of grid connection study applications per operator for grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). The cap …
Publication date: April 14, 2026 METI to Set Up Three WGs to Rewire Market Design, Capacity Mechanisms, and Retail Obligations in Parallel The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) announced at the Next Generation Infrastructure Development Subcommittee that it will establish three new working groups (WGs) related to power system reform. The Power Supply …
Publication date: March 30, 2026 METI Further Clarifies Key Elements of the Retailer Obligation Framework In our previous newsletter, Japan’s Power Market News Week 7, we noted that the Working Group (WG) on System Design Based on the Review of Power System Reforms would further examine key design issues regarding the planned retailer’s obligation to …
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Publication date: March 7, 2026 METI Moves to Tighten Oversight of Electricity Markets METI plans to expand its supervisory scope over electricity markets to enable it to ensure operational improvements in the Balancing Market and the planned Mid-Long Term Market,with the aim of promoting sound market operation, increasing participation, and stimulating market activity. The proposed …
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