Green transformation in Japan and future policies against climate change in the energy sector

In the 12 and a half years since the Fukushima nuclear accident only 11 of the 54 reactors initially shut down have restarted operations. Japan’s current energy self-sufficiency rate is only around 10%, and reducing CO2 emissions is not an easy proposition.

The invasion of Ukraine has further destabilized the security of electric supply and price. How should Japan tackle the energy trilemma (security, affordability, sustainability) amidst such challenging circumstances?

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About the speaker

Naomi Hirose is the former president / CEO whose service at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) spans four decades. He left TEPCO in 2021, and currently serves as Chair of Japan Energy Association, i.e. World Energy Council Japanese Member Committee. Also, He has been appointed as a Vice Chair of World Energy Council since 2022.

Mr. Hirose joined TEPCO in 1976, having gained an appreciation for the energy industry following the 1973 Oil Shock, and worked in a number of management positions from 1992 to 2005, including corporate planning, sales, marketing, and customer relations.

Immediately after the 3.11 Fukushima Accident, Mr. Hirose dedicated himself to create the system for Nuclear Damage Compensation. After becoming President and CEO in 2012, he led the company in addressing a number of highly complex issues such as water management and decommissioning plans for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, compensation for the accident and Fukushima revitalization, and keeping TEPCO competitive while facing the deregulation of Japan’s electricity and gas market.

Mr. Hirose received his B.A. in Sociology from Hitotsubashi University in 1976, and his MBA from Yale School of Management in 1983.

Contact

• Organiser: SOAS Japan Research Centre
• Contact email: centres@soas.ac.uk