Production volume of coal Japan 1980-2021

In 2021, the domestic production volume of coal in Japan amounted to approximately 659 thousand metric tons. The figure showed a significant decrease compared to over 18 million metric tons in 1980.  

 Mining industry in Japan 

In recent years, there were about 470 mines in Japan. The majority of mines are dedicated to metals and non-metallic minerals. Limestone holds by far the highest production volume among non-metallic materials, while gold leads in metallic mineral production. Petroleum, natural gas, coal, and ignite are mined on a smaller scale. In contrast, the archipelago possesses substantial reserves of iodine, making Japan one of the largest global producers of this element.

 Use of coal in Japan 

In Japan, the energy industry is the largest consumer of coal, as most of the country's primary energy supply is covered by fossil fuels. Petroleum keeps holding the primary position in energy supply, followed by coal. Since the island nation lacks domestic fossil fuel reserves, it heavily relies on imports. Consequently, Japan ranks among the global leading coal-importing countries.