Energy Transition: Smart Little Boxes Shaping the future of Electricity Use

Largely a niche technology until now, smart meters are expected to play an important role amid the need for demand-side control of power as Japan seeks to cut energy consumption in the face of the gl...

Methanol Takes First Steps as Low Carbon Fuel in Japan

As a low carbon fuel, methanol has so far been given little attention in Japan. With announcements of mega e-methanol projects over the past year across the globe, however, that could all change. ...

New Nuclear Regulator Chief Stirs Industry Hopes for Warmer Relations

In less than two months, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) will change. With current chair Fuketa Toyoshi stepping down, all of the original commissioners appointed when the regu...

Paper Ethanol: A Bioethanol Game Changer?

In recent years Japan has been tepid on bioethanol, with annual consumption of only about 800,000 kiloliters, most of it imported from Brazil. To put things into perspective, that’s just 20% of India...

Wary of Russia LNG Supply Risk, Japan Looks at Options Elsewhere

Within 10 years, all of Japan’s current contracts for LNG from Russia will expire. The longest of these, set for 24 years, will end during 2031, though volumes will start to drop five years prior to ...