By CHINAMI TAJIKA/ Staff Writer
December 27, 2024 at 16:10 JST
Operators restarted the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, in October after it had been offline for 13 years. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Japan is shifting toward greater reliance on nuclear power, with the government introducing a new energy policy that highlights atomic energy as a key source of green electricity.
The government has unveiled a draft of its “GX (Green Transformation) 2040 Vision,” a strategy to achieve a decarbonized society over the next 15 years.
While the plan includes significant support for renewable energy technologies, it also classifies nuclear power as a decarbonized energy source, outlining steps to attract businesses to areas near nuclear and renewable power plants.
The plan calls for a bold approach to drawing businesses—especially energy-intensive operations like data centers, which are increasingly seeking decarbonized power sources—to locations near these plants.
To facilitate this, the government will support decarbonization initiatives, like expanding power grids, lowering electricity rates, and offering tax breaks and subsidies.
These incentives also aim to restart nuclear reactors that have been offline since the 2011 accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
The plan also proposes measures to draw funds from electricity rates to cover part of the rising construction costs for new nuclear plants.
The 2040 Vision mirrors a separate energy policy from the industry ministry, representing a significant shift toward nuclear power.
The ministry’s draft of the Strategic Energy Plan, released on Dec. 25, removes a previous pledge to “reduce dependence on nuclear power as much as possible,” a commitment made in response to the Fukushima disaster.
The ministry policy also includes plans to replace aging nuclear plants.
The 2040 Vision considers financial incentives for local communities hosting renewable energy facilities.
A new emissions trading system, set to start in Japan in fiscal 2026, is another key policy to help decarbonize the country.
The government plans to finalize both the 2040 Vision and the ministry policy after reviewing public feedback.
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Proposed 2040 energy targets: 20% nuclear, 40-50% renewables
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