On the basis of Japan’s energy situation, the Basic Law on Energy Policy Making was promulgated by the national government in June 2002. The law has three overarching objectives on energy supply and demand:
1) Securing a stable supply,
2) Ensuring environmental compatibility,
3) Increasing the role of market principles, which should be coordinated with the first two objectives.
In response to the changes of domestic and international energy market environment, METI drafted the New National Energy Strategy in May 2006. This presents Japan’s long-term energy strategy centering on the reinforcement of energy security and stipulates numerical targets. Regarding nuclear energy, the goal is to maintain the share of power output from nuclear energy at the level at least 30% – 40% by 2030 and thereafter.
In May 2008, the Energy Supply and Demand Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy to the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced the Long-term Energy Supply and Demand Outlook. It sets the numerical targets of the New National Energy Strategy as a benchmark and considers an appropriate energy supply and demand structure for Japan in the future. The outlook provides three model cases based on the extent of development and introduction of energy technologies: Current Status Case, Continuous Effort Case, and Maximum Introduction Case. Among the three, the Continuous Effort Case* is considered to be the closest to the demand outlook for electric power companies in the Long-term Electric Power Facilities Development Plan.
Long-term Energy Supply & Demand Outlook
* The case assumes continuous efforts will be made to improve the eficiency of equipment and facilities as an extension of existing technologies, and that such equipment and facilities will replace end-of-life equipment and facilities.
