Japan

Japan’s energy policy is guided by principles of energy security, economic efficiency, environmental sustainability and safety. Achieving the aim of carbon-neutrality by 2050 will require substantially accelerating the deployment of low-carbon technologies by 2030, to address regulatory and institutional barriers and further enhance competition in energy markets. It will also be important to develop different decarbonisation scenarios and to prepare for the possibility that certain low-carbon technologies, such as nuclear, might not expand as quickly as hoped. Stronger reliance on market-based instruments, such as carbon pricing, could be one policy option for Japan to cost-effectively reduce emissions, foster innovation and further increase the country’s high level of energy efficiency.