Renewable Power Is Key to Japan’s Energy Security

The report positions renewable energy expansion as a national security imperative for Japan, which had an energy import dependence of 87.4% in 2024. It argues that the current 7th Strategic Energy Plan is insufficient for the 1.5°C target and proposes a more ambitious pathway to reach 80-90% clean power by 2035-2040. Key recommendations include upscaling grid capacity, fast-tracking permitting, expanding distributed energy, and using long-term offtake agreements to lower capital costs. The document highlights Japan's potential in offshore wind, agrivoltaics, and perovskite solar cells as means to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and Chinese crystalline-silicon PV.

• Japan's energy import dependence reached 87.4% in 2024, the highest among major economies, creating a strategic vulnerability that impacts national security and defence.
• The report suggests that Japan could realistically aim for 80% or more clean power by 2040, and potentially 90% by 2035, which would significantly reduce dependence on imported LNG and coal.
• The 7th Strategic Energy Plan is criticized for maintaining thermal power at 30-40% of the energy mix by 2040, which the report states is inconsistent with the 1.5°C global temperature target.
• Japan possesses significant untapped renewable resources, with floating offshore wind potential alone estimated at 2 to 9 times the country's annual electricity demand.
• To achieve a clean energy transition, the report identifies four critical policy actions: increasing transmission and distribution capacity, fast-tracking permitting, expanding distributed energy, and utilizing long-term offtake agreements to mobilize low-interest capital.
• Japan can mitigate its reliance on Chinese-dominated crystalline silicon PV by leading in next-generation technologies, specifically perovskite solar cells, with a government target of 20 GW capacity by 2040.
• Increasing domestic clean power could result in significant economic savings, potentially saving up to JPY 3.4 trillion by 2035 by reducing the need for imported fossil fuels.

APA

Watanabe, Y., Martini, M., Vázquez, A. D., Vandercamme, L., & Kidney, S. (2026). Renewable Power Is Key to Japan’s Energy Security. Climate Bonds Initiative. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Japans-Energy-Security_EN_Final.pdf

Chicago

Watanabe, Yumiko, Mireille Martini, Ana Díaz Vázquez, Lilu Vandercamme, and Sean Kidney. Renewable Power Is Key to Japan’s Energy Security. Climate Bonds Initiative, 2026. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Japans-Energy-Security_EN_Final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Watanabe |first1=Yumiko |last2=Martini |first2=Mireille |last3=Vázquez |first3=Ana Díaz |last4=Vandercamme |first4=Lilu |last5=Kidney |first5=Sean |title=Renewable Power Is Key to Japan’s Energy Security |publisher=Climate Bonds Initiative |date=February 2026 |url=https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Japans-Energy-Security_EN_Final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{watanabe2026renewable, author = {Watanabe, Yumiko and Martini, Mireille and Vázquez, Ana Díaz and Vandercamme, Lilu and Kidney, Sean}, title = {{Renewable Power Is Key to Japan’s Energy Security}}, institution = {Climate Bonds Initiative}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Japans-Energy-Security_EN_Final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }