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Responding to energy crisis brought from the massive earthquake hit Japan on March 11, 2011, we provide you information on trends and developments in "the energy shift" in Japan towards sustainable renewables from April to July 2011.

Fukushima Prefecture compiled a draft "Reconstruction Vision" based on the idea of departure from nuclear power generation on July 15, 2011, and will officially adopt the vision in early August。（Based on a Mainichi Shimbun report)

Referring to Japan's future energy and nuclear power policy, on July 13, 2011, Prime Minister Naoto Kan laid out his vision to realize a society without nuclear power plants by gradually moving away from reliance on this energy source (Based on media reports)

NTT DoCoMo, on July 8, 2011, revealed a plan to build "green transmission stations" equipped with electric power generators which run on renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, and biomass. The largest mobile phone operator in Japan will construct ten such stations before the end of fiscal 2012. (Based on AFP reports)

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue said on July 7, 2011 that they will call on the government to review its traditional energy policy in the peace declaration which they will read out in the annual Peace Memorial Ceremonies slated for August 6 and 9. (Based on media reports)

Kyoto Prefectural Governor Keiji Yamada stated on June 28, 2011 that the prefecture plans to launch in Kansai Science City in the border region between Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara Prefectures, a pilot project to supply locally generated electric power to local energy users.(Based on a Kyoto Shimbun report)

The Liberal Democratic Party's special committee on comprehensive energy policy held its first meeting on July 5, 2011, and decided to examine Japan's traditional nuclear power policy before compiling an interim report on the party's new energy policy.(Based on media reports)

Chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) Yasuchika Hasegawa proposed on July 5, 2011 a plan to gradually reduce Japan's dependence on nuclear power generation, and expressed his support for the special measures bill to promote renewable energy sources. The bill will require the electric power companies to buy all the electricity generated from solar, wind and other natural energy sources. (Based on media reports)

A committee developing a vision for rebuilding Fukushima Prefecture officially decided on July 2, 2011 that it will include the basic policy of departure from nuclear power generation in its proposal. The committee is chaired by Hiroshi Suzuki, Professor Emeritus of Fukushima University.

The Ayabe City Assembly in Kyoto Prefecture, on July 1, 2011, unanimously approved a written request that the government firmly establish an energy policy that does not depend on nuclear power generation. (Based on a Kyoto Mimpo report)

The Echizen City Assembly in Fukui Prefecture, on June 29, 2011, unanimously adopted a statement urging Japan Atomic Power Co. to cancel its plan to construct the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at its nuclear power plant in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, and calling on the central government to discontinue its nuclear dependent energy policy. (Based on mass media reports)

Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) conducted a survey on 28 local governments with nuclear power plants on June 27 and 28, 2011, focusing on the issue of withdrawal from nuclear power generation. In the survey, over a half of the respondents said they are unable to decide on the issue at present. Five local governments, such as Tomari Village, Hokkaido, said they will maintain nuclear power generation for the time being, and four others, such as Tokai Village, Ibaraki Prefecture, said they intend to break with nuclear power generation. (Based on NHK reports)

Osaka City Mayor Kunio Hiramatsu referred to Japan's withdrawal from nuclear power generation for the first time on June 17, 2011, and expressed his view that the government should shift away from nuclear power generation and move towards other forms of energy sources. (Based on media reports)

The municipal assembly of Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture, unanimously approved on June 16, 2011, a statement urging the central government to shift to the natural energy generation policy. Part of this city is located within the radius of 20 kilometers of Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in Genkai Town, Saga Prefecture. (Based on media reports)

Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced on June 1, 2011 that the government will maintain a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 25 percent from 1990 levels by the year 2020. To attain this goal, he stressed that the government will make the most of renewable energy, and will further promote energy conservation. (Based on media reports)

The government announced on May 30, 2011 that it will set up a council on energy and environment under the Council on the Realization of the New Growth Strategy. The new council will discuss separation of power generation from power distribution and transmission network, and expansion of natural energy resources, among other topics.( Based on a report by The Mainichi Shimbun)

Japan plans to raise the share of renewable energy resources in the total electricity supply to 20 percent by the early 2020s, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on May 25, 2011. He announced the plan in a speech at a forum dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. (Based on media reports)

Softbank Corp. Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son and the governors of 19 prefectures, including Kanagawa and Saitama, announced on May 25, 2011 that they will jointly establish a council on natural energy in early July in order to promote "mega solar" photovoltanic power plants, wind power generation, and other renewable energies. (Based on a report by The Tokyo Shimbun)

Major Japanese electronics manufacturer Toshiba Corp. said on May 24, 2011 that it will delay the deadline for winning the targeted level of orders in its nuclear power generation business. Toshiba has placed the nuclear business in the center of its growth strategy. From now on, it will strive to expand its business involving renewable energy, such as solar power and wind power generation, the company said. (Based on media reports)

Nagano Prefectural Governor Shuichi Abe, on April 28, 2011, expressed his intention of expediting the prefectural government's efforts to shift from nuclear power to natural energy, citing the prefecture's topographical advantages for promoting clean renewables. He said he will make steady efforts for achieving the energy shift. (Based on a report on the prefectural government's Web site)

Commenting on the government's Strategic Energy Plan of Japan which aims to raise the share of nuclear power in the total generating capacity to 50%, Prime Minister Naoto Kan stated on May 10, 2011 that the plan needs to be reviewed from scratch and discussed. He expressed his intention to attach great importance to the use of renewable energy and the promotion of energy conservation. (Based on media reports)

In response to the popular demand that Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) sell its transmission networks, Goshi Hosono, special adviser to Prime Minister Naoto Kan, said on May 10, 2011 that the government has not made any decision to protect the electric power companies' current business infrastructure. His remark is taken to indicate that the government considers the sale of the transmission grids as one of TEPCO's options for raising necessary funds for payment of compensation. (Based on a report by Kyodo)

Okinawa Electric Power Co., Inc. announced on May 6, 2011 that it will build an experimental wind power generation facility in Ogimi Village in northern part of the main island of Okinawa. If constructed, this will be the company's first full-fledged wind power plant on the island. The utility plans to start operating the facility in April 2013. (Based on a Sankei Shimbun report)

The Okayama prefectural government announced on April 28, 2011 that it had selected 20 sites for the mega photovoltaic power generation facilities,"Mega Solar." The construction of these facilities is one of the main projects of the renewable energy vision of Okayama Prefecture, drawn up in March 2011. The prefectural government has started inviting companies to build the solar power generation facilities on these sites. (Based on an Asahi Shimbun report)

Softbank Corp. Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son announced on April 20, 2011, that he will establish a natural energy foundation with the aim to promote the use of natural energy sources. He will call on scientists in the world to join this foundation and will give advices to the government. (Based on mass media reports)

Johnan Shinkin Bank (JSB), a major community bank based in Tokyo, called for abandoning nuclear energy in its statement titled "Shift to safe society that does not depend on nuclear power plants" issued on April 8, 2011. It is unusual for a Japanese company to declare such a non-nuclear energy policy. JSB said it will provide low-interest loans for buyers of energy-saving devices and equipment. (Based on reports from JSB Website and The Asahi Shimbun)

Koichiro Genba, Japanese National Strategy Minister, said on April 23, 2011, that it is necessary to reconsider the Strategic Energy Plan of Japan that attaches great importance to nuclear power generation. Referring to the structure of Japan's power generating capacity, he said it is certain that the share of renewable energy will remarkably increase from now on. (Based on a Jiji Press report)

The current renewable energy situation in Japan.

This webpage is provided with a grant from Artists Project Earth.