Share of nuclear energy in electricity production Japan 2000-2023

In 2023, the share of electricity generated by nuclear power in Japan amounted to around 5.6 percent. Shortly after the nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, the share of nuclear energy generation dropped down to zero, since all nuclear reactors were shut down for security inspections. 

Main energy sources in Japan

The nuclear disaster in 2011 had a major impact on the electricity market in Japan insofar that nuclear energy was replaced by fossil fuels. The largest share of electricity production came from natural gas and coal. Since the archipelago lacks domestic reserves of fossil fuels, it is dependent on imports. This resulted in increased electricity rates for homes shortly after the disaster. To be more independent of fossil fuel imports as well as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and electricity power costs, Japan currently aims to replace fossil fuels with nuclear and renewable energy. In recent years, the share of renewables in electricity production increased to close to 20 percent, with solar and hydropower representing the largest renewable energy sources.

Nuclear energy in Japan

Shortly after the nuclear disaster, the share of Japanese people who supported nuclear energy dropped significantly. Nevertheless, the first nuclear reactors were put back into operation in 2015. The low carbon energy source will be necessary for Japan to meet its climate goals of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 46 percent until 2030, compared to the level of 2013. Furthermore, the Japanese government announced its intention for the country to become entirely emission-free by 2050. There was international criticism that Japan is unlikely to expand its renewable energy share sufficiently to achieve that goal. Therefore, the country would need to further increase its nuclear energy share.