2016日本回顾_IEA国家能源政策（英文版）_181页_6mb

Summary of Japan's Energy Policies (2016 Review)

Core Content

The Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Japan 2016 Review provides a comprehensive overview of Japan's energy policy landscape, focusing on its energy security, climate change mitigation, energy efficiency, and market reforms. It highlights Japan's transition from a nuclear-dependent energy system to a more diversified and sustainable approach following the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

Main Objectives of the IEA

The IEA's primary goals include:

• Promoting energy security through collective response to supply disruptions.
• Ensuring reliable, affordable, and clean energy for member countries.
• Enhancing market transparency through data collection and analysis.
• Supporting global energy technology collaboration to secure future energy supplies and reduce environmental impact.
• Engaging with non-member countries and stakeholders to find solutions to global energy challenges.

Key Policies and Recommendations

General Energy Policy

• Japan is a major energy consumer and importer, with oil accounting for over 42.9% of TPES in 2015.
• The country has a high population density, with a fast-aging population and a declining workforce.
• Japan has a traditionally high level of oil stocks, which is critical for energy security.
• The government is working to diversify the energy mix to include more renewables and nuclear power, while maintaining energy efficiency and economic growth.

Climate Change

• Japan pledged to reduce GHG emissions by 25% from 1990 levels by 2020, but this was revised to 26% reduction from 2013 to 2030 due to the nuclear shutdown.
• The 2015 Long-Term Energy Supply and Demand Outlook projects a decline in fossil fuel share and a recovery in nuclear energy by 2030.
• The NESTI 2050 Strategy was launched in 2016 to support long-term emissions reductions and technological innovation, aiming for an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 if compatible with economic growth.
• Japan is a leader in RD&D for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and other low-carbon technologies.

Energy Efficiency

• Japan has a long tradition of energy efficiency policies, contributing to the peak of TPES and TFC in the last decade.
• Key measures include:
  • Voluntary action plans covering 80% of energy-related CO₂ emissions.
  • The Top Runner Programme for appliances, equipment, and vehicles, covering 70% of TFC in households.
• The government is continuing to introduce fiscal incentives and strict requirements for energy efficiency.

Electricity and Gas Market Reform

• Japan is the world's fifth-largest electricity consumer, with 28% of TFC in 2014.
• The electricity market reform aims to:
  • Secure stable supply
  • Suppress electricity rates
  • Expand consumer choice and business opportunities
• The reform is being implemented in three stages:
  1. OCCTO (2015): Ensures generation adequacy and transmission capacity.
  2. Retail market liberalisation (2016): Allows consumers to choose suppliers, with 820,000 consumers switching suppliers.
  3. Legal unbundling (2020): Separates transmission and distribution from generation and retail.
• The gas market reform includes:
  • Full retail competition.
  • Improved pipeline interconnectivity and third-party access.
  • Development of an LNG trading hub.

Oil Security

• Oil accounts for 42.9% of TPES in 2015, and the government has traditionally focused on securing oil supplies through resource diplomacy and upstream investments.
• The oil stocking policy was revised to allow for stock release during natural disasters.
• The refining industry is being restructured to increase competitiveness and ensure retail market diversity.

Renewable Energy

• Renewable energy is a strategic opportunity and practical challenge for Japan.
• The feed-in tariff (FiT) system, introduced in 2012, has led to a rapid expansion of solar PV, but also high subsidy costs.
• The subsidy cost for renewables reached JPY 2.3 trillion in 2016 and is expected to rise to JPY 3.7–4.0 trillion by 2030.
• Japan is focusing on expanding a balanced renewable portfolio, including wind, geothermal, and biofuels.
• Grid integration of variable renewables is a challenge due to geography and historical market structure.
• The government is promoting technological and institutional reforms to enhance grid flexibility and reduce costs.

Key Recommendations

• Strive for a well-balanced and diversified energy mix, including renewables and nuclear, while ensuring safety, security, economic efficiency, and environmental protection.
• Facilitate increases in low-carbon energy sources, while addressing safety, cost, and public acceptance.
• Continue to introduce fiscal incentives and strict energy efficiency requirements.
• Ambitiously promote innovation in critical low-carbon technologies.
• Finalise electricity and gas market reforms as scheduled, ensuring independence and adequate resources for regulators.
• Facilitate infrastructure development for a well-integrated national grid and market design that includes strong signals for optimal generation location.
• Continue to support renewable energy deployment and align support costs with consumer tariffs.
• Increase the effectiveness of renewable support and review regularly to reflect technological advances.
• Promote a technologically and geographically balanced renewable portfolio.
• Introduce neutral institutional arrangements to accelerate grid integration.
• Address non-economic barriers, such as environmental impact assessments, to facilitate renewable deployment.

Conclusion

Japan's energy policy is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need to rebuild energy security, reduce GHG emissions, and modernise its energy markets. The country's focus on nuclear safety, renewable expansion, and market liberalisation reflects its commitment to sustainable development and technological innovation. The IEA encourages Japan to continue these reforms and to maintain transparency and public trust in its energy transition.