Japanese election paves way for new energy strategy

Next government faces the difficult task of balancing decarbonisation ambitions with energy security realities

Japan held a snap general election in October, with the initial results being inconclusive. What is clear is that the eventual winner will face some big decisions on energy and decarbonisation policy. The latest iteration of the country’s  Seventh Strategic Energy Plan (SEP) is scheduled to be presented to the Cabinet in early 2025, setting out  a policy roadmap to 2035 and 2040.   Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) started discussions for the next SEP in mid-May. The current version was announced in 2021, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and only laid out a pathway to 2030.    The immediate question will be who leads the government come early 2025. Current prime mini