2022 Energy Talent Trends – A Year of Transition

Last year was very interesting and eventful for the energy industry. The highlights include Japan’s fundamental shift in nuclear policy, the war in Ukraine, LNG shortages and record energy prices, a ...

Japan Smart Money Should Move to Smart Cities to Promote Carbon Neutrality Initiatives

Prime Minister Kishida has pronounced Digital and Green transformations as the two X factors of his government policy. The locus where DX and GX meet is the “smart city” concept. And the number of Ja...

The EU’s Cross-border Carbon Tax: Boon or Bust for Japan?

Japan has long feared the introduction of a new carbon tax at the EU border, claiming that it could put its exports at a disadvantage. After all, Japan's primary energy balance is dominated by fossil...

A New Beginning: Long-term Decarbonized Capacity Auction Overview

Later this year the government plans to introduce a new auction system that will provide price guarantees for non-fossil power generation. In effect, it should reduce the risk of investing in buildin...

MOE Sets up Green Fund Eying Regional Decarbonization Projects

Two years ago, METI set up a ¥2-trillion Green Innovation Fund (GIF) to support early-stage R&D to help Japan meet its 2050 net-zero ambitions. Now, that effort is getting a further boost with a ...