Report “Policy Making Process in Japan: Strategic Energy Plan as a Case Study”

Report “Policy Making Process in Japan: Strategic Energy Plan as a Case Study”

Climate Integrate  released a report entitled “Policy Making Process in Japan: Strategic Energy Plan as a Case Study” in April and the English version is now available.

Japan’s Strategic Energy Plan (“SEP”) is central to the country’s climate and energy policies. Using the SEP as a case study, this report examines Japan’s policy making processes. In doing so, it sheds light on the complex committee structures, the ways in which decisions made by consultative bodies lower in the hierarchy end up forming the national policies, and how the composition of these consultative bodies fails to provide balance in terms of views and values represented.

Japan and other countries of the world are being called upon to strengthen their climate and energy policies in order to align with the Paris Agreement and other international commitments. This year is of added importance, as the 7th SEP and Japan’s nationally determined contribution (NDC, which is to include the government’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for 2030 and beyond) are to be formulated by the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Implications for the future are immense. These policy making processes should be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

Focusing on the SEP as a case study, this report examines Japan’s policy making processes and the reality of policy deliberations. Mainly examining the process of formulating the 6th SEP, which occurred between October 2020 and October 2021, this report  analyzes the deliberative framework, process, and composition of the various consultative bodies. It also anticipates the likely processes to be applied for the 7th SEP.

Key observations:

• Although the draft SEP is compiled by the Strategic Policy Committee, which is under the Advisory Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (“ACNRE”), prior discussions and coordination are actually conducted by many consultative bodies established both within and outside of ACNRE. In reality, there is scant opportunity for deliberation within the Strategic Policy Committee from a holistic perspective.
• Many committee members of the 15 major consultative bodies are from companies affiliated with energy-intensive industries, and very few are from companies on the energy demand side, many of which are very proactive in the energy transition, or from NPOs.
• The majority of committee members are males in their 50s to 70s, and very few are from a younger generation or female.
• The majority of committee members have a reluctant stance regarding shifting away from the existing fossil fuel-based system.

This report concludes with the observation that in the deliberation of Japan’s climate and energy policies, there is a need to shift toward more democratic policy making processes while still ensuring a high level of expertise, and a need to ensure that the selection of members of advisory and consultative bodies is not biased toward any particular persons or organizations, while also taking into account diversity in terms of sector, age, gender, and stance.

Hiroyuki Yasui, Public Policy Director, Climate Integrate says
“This report untangles the convoluted committee structure and discussion processes that result in Japan’s national Strategic Energy Plan, and examines whether or not the composition of the various consultative bodies is fair and balanced. The policy making processes need to be paid more attention, not just the content of policies. I hope that this report will lead to opportunities for positive changes in the processes that form Japan’s climate and energy policies. ”