Japan Climate Curation #57 -Hydrogen, “Renewable Energy Tech”, EV shift, nuclear, The Days(Netflix), Aging population, and more
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on 6/6/2023 on Linkedin.
Welcome! I’m Hiroyasu Ichikawa, ichi, and this is issue 57 of the “Japan Climate Curation” newsletter📬, which curates Japan-related climate news content every week since the spring of 2022. You can subscribe by clicking on the Linkedin page or via the substack link below.
Note: Japan Climate Curation is now available on Substack! Please feel free to sign up from the link here. [https://japanclimatecuration.substack.com]
Twelve news articles and contents were curated this week, including hydrogen, “renewable energy tech,” EV shift, nuclear, The Days(Netflix), the aging population, and more. I hope you find the articles below useful for reading (or skimming)!
[Note]: I am available to offer my research and consulting services for your Japan-related climate or net-zero business. Initial 30-minute Zoom chats are free, and I could work an hourly rate from $50. Please fill out your inquiry from this link. Thank you!
[🇯🇵📰👀Japan Climate News Headlines]
【1】Japan to invest 15 tril. yen in hydrogen supply for decarbonization [6/6 Kyodo News]
- Japan’s government plans to drive a $107 billion investment in hydrogen supply over 15 years, aiming to increase supply sixfold by 2040 and commercialize hydrogen power by 2030. The plan hopes to cut emissions and create a sustainable hydrogen supply chain in Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
【2】’Linear’ torrential rains double in Japan in 45 years, global warming to blame: study [6/3 The Mainichi]
- Torrential rains in Japan have doubled in frequency over the past 45 years, with global warming being identified as the main cause. Linear precipitation zones, characterized by organized rain clouds, have led to serious disasters such as landslides. The rise in sea surface temperatures contributes to increased water vapor, making torrential rains more likely. Vigilance is needed in areas previously unaffected by such disasters.
【3】Japan reports warmest spring on record [6/1 Phys.org]
- Japan records its warmest spring ever amid global warming and El Nino. Predictions say 2023–2027 may be the warmest 5-year period on record, possibly exceeding Paris Agreement targets. Climate change worsens heavy rains, triggering landslides in Japan. G7 fails to agree on fossil fuel phase-out deadlines.
【4】The Wave of Renewable Energy Tech (1) Solar Power, a Battle for Supremacy [6/5Nikkei newspaper(in Japanese)]
▶It’s fascinating to observe how language and terminology evolve along with technological advancements. In the West, these innovations are often referred as “climate tech” or “clean tech”. However, in Japan, terminologies like “renewable tech”, “decarbonization tech”, “environmental tech”, and “GX tech” are used in business paper such as Nikkei, though I admit the use of “climate tech” is gradually catching on. Could this linguistic difference reflect a distinct cultural perception of “climate” in the East and the West?
- In the article, insightful analysis uncovers the progression of 11 key decarbonization technologies across five sectors: Solar power, wind power, hydrogen, nuclear power plants, and CO2 capture.
- Some of these technologies are on the brink of commercialization, and the game changer could well be the “perovskite”, the next generation of solar cells.
【5】Toshiba, Toray lead Japan foray into cheap ‘green’ hydrogen tech [6/2 Nikkei Asia]
- Japanese manufacturers Toshiba and Toray Industries are developing innovative technology to produce cheaper “green” hydrogen, a clean-burning fuel produced using renewable energy.
- Toshiba has devised a way to reduce iridium, a rare and expensive metal, by nine-tenths in electrolyzers while maintaining performance, making hydrogen production cheaper. Toray has improved electrolyte membrane performance, leading to lower hydrogen production costs. On the other hand, Panasonic is working on alkaline electrolyzers that use more affordable metals.
- Amid these advancements, Japan aims to reduce hydrogen supply costs significantly by 2050.
【6】Toyota, Honda, Nissan trail Tesla and BYD in global EV race: report [6/1 Nikkei Asia]
- International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)’s report reveals that Japanese automakers Toyota, Honda, and Nissan trail behind in the global EV race, underperforming in key areas. While Tesla and BYD emerge as leaders, Japanese brands fail to capture a significant EV market share despite earlier successes.
【7】California, New York pensions vote against Toyota chief reelection [6/2 Nikkei Asia]
- Two of the largest US public pension systems, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the Office of the New York City Comptroller have voted against the reelection of Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda.
- The pension funds also voted for a resolution urging Toyota to disclose its climate change lobbying efforts better. This move comes amidst criticism from proxy advisory firms regarding the company’s governance and perceived slow response to the shift towards electric vehicles (EVs).
- Despite this, Toyota has defended its approach of rolling out alternatives to gasoline-engine cars and aims to sell 1.5 million EVs annually by 2026.
【8】Foreign automakers expand EV lineups in Japan [5/29 NHK WORLD-JAPAN News]
- European automakers are broadening their EV range in Japan, with Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW adding new models. They aim to exploit a gap in a market where domestic EV offerings are limited. Despite EVs accounting for just 1.7% of Japan’s total passenger car sales in 2022, European automakers are optimistic due to the limited EV offerings by domestic manufacturers.
【9】Plan to release Fukushima nuclear plant water into sea faces local opposition: “The sea is not a garbage dump” [5/31 CBS Morning]
- Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima disaster into the sea faces opposition from the public and local fishermen, despite TEPCO’s assurances and international backing.
The Days | Netflix released on 6/1
▶ I watched this Netflix drama last weekend. It’s tense, but I thought it was worth watching to understand the tragedy and think about the future of clean energy in Japan.
“Over the course of eight episodes, this multi-layered drama faithfully captures a disastrous incident from three different perspectives based on careful research. “What happened there on that day?” This story seeks to answer this question based on the true events of seven intense days from the perspectives of government, corporate organizations, and the people on site risking their lives.
At 2:46 p.m. on 11 March, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 (recorded at Kurihara-cho, Miyagi prefecture) struck approximately 130 kilometers off the Sanriku coast. One hour after this earthquake shook the islands of Japan, a 15-meter-tall tsunami swallowed up the Fukushima nuclear power plant in an instant. But that was only the start of the nightmare. With its cooling function lost, the power plant fell into a dangerous and uncontrollable state.”
【10】Japan plans to release Fukushima water into the Pacific — is it dangerous? [5/25 National Geographic]
Japan plans to release Fukushima Daiichi’s treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific due to running out of storage. Although Japan claims this is safe, experts and neighboring countries warn it could pose generational environmental threats, potentially affecting marine life and ecosystems across the Pacific. The release is planned over three decades, subject to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safety assessment.
【11】Japan demographic woes deepen as birth rate hits record low [6/2 Reuters]
Japan’s population crisis deepens as its birth rate hits a record low for the seventh consecutive year. Fertility rate is far below the level needed for stability. The government commits $25bn annually to address the issue. The situation is further aggravated by COVID-19, causing a decline in marriages and an increase in deaths.
【12】It’s not just a fiscal fiasco: greying economies also innovate less [5/30 The Economist]
- Aging populations worldwide pose fiscal challenges and a decline in innovation due to shrinking young workforces. Examples like Italy and Japan underscore this phenomenon, now commonplace in many countries, including South Korea and India.
- This challenge is difficult to address through immigration, particularly in populous countries like China. Efforts to boost fertility rates have yielded little success. Future strategies should focus on education and technology to offset the impacts of a declining young population.
- “As recently as 2010, Japanese inventors were the biggest producers of patents in 35 global industries, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, a un agency. By 2021 they were the leaders in just three. Japan has fallen behind China, which now occupies most of the top spots, and America too.”
📬That’s all for this week! Thank you for reading(or skimming) 🙇. I hope you will have a wonderful week ahead!
- “Climate Curation” newsletter in 🇯🇵Japanese (every Saturday) https://socialcompany.substack.com/
- Please feel free to contact me (via DM or email ) if there are any research/consulting needs for your business or just for a coffee chat☕.
- My personal Twitter account (in 🇯🇵Japanese) @SocialCompany
ichi (Hiroyasu Ichikawa)
