Japan announces offshore wind areas

15 September 2021

Japan’s METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has named four offshore wind “promising areas” – in addition to the existing three offshore wind promising areas – as the country begins to lay out detailed plans to meet its carbon neutrality targets of 10 GW of installed capacity by 2030 and 30 GW – 45 GW by 2040. Additionally, it named 10 potential areas that have progressed to certain “preparatory stages” which require further study.

The status of designation of promotion areas to date is as follows

Promotion areas for Round 1

  • Goto-city, Nagasaki prefecture
  • Noshiro-city, Mitane-town and Oga-city, Akita prefecture
  • Yurihonjo-city, Akita prefecture
  • Choshi, Chiba prefecture

Promotion areas for Round 2

  • Happou-town and Noshiro-city, Akita prefecture

Following a two-month period of consultation and data gathering with the prefectures, METI named the following promising areas and potential areas:

7 Promising areas

The Renewables Consulting Group (RCG) considers the following three areas as candidates for Round 2 promotion areas, in addition to Happou-town and Noshito-city. Aomori in Japan Sea (South) and Saikai-city are currently under discussion at the council (Kyogikai), but the council has not yet been formed for Japan Sea (North).

  • Offshore Aomori in Japan Sea (North), Aomori prefecture
  • Offshore Aomori in Japan Sea (South). Aomori prefecture
  • Saikai-city, Nagasaki prefecture

The following areas were newly added. RCG considers the following four areas as candidates for Round 3.

  • Oga-city, Katagami-city and Akita-city, Akita prefecture
  • Yuza-town, Yamagata prefecture
  • Murakami-city and Tainai-city, Niigata prefecture
  • Isumi-city, Chiba prefecture

10 potential Areas that have progressed to the “certain preparatory stages”

  • Ishikari-city, Hokkaido
  • Ganwu and Minami Shiribeshi, Hokkaido
  • Shimamaki, Hokkaido
  • Hiyama, Hokkaido
  • Matsumae, Hokkaido
  • Mutsu Bay, Aomori prefecture
  • Kuji-city, Iwate prefecture
  • Awara-city, Fukui prefecture
  • Hibikinada, Fukuoka prefecture
  • Karatsu-city, Saga prefecture
    (NOTE: Ishikari-city, Shimamaki, Matsumae, Kuji-city, Awara-city, Hibikinada and Karatsu-city were newly added.)

If you would like to know more about this announcement or more information about how RCG could assist you in the Japanese offshore wind farm market generally, please contact one of our team in Tokyo.