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Abstract How can leaders successfully craft energy or climate policy to support an initiative that citizens oppose? This paper considers this challenge from a change management perspective applied to public governance. It first draws on change management theory to develop a framework for altering mass public perspectives. The framework consists of four phases: i) problematizing the issue, ii) laying a foundation for change, iii) reshaping perspectives, and iv) entrenching support. Drawing from the insights gleaned from the establishment of Japan's nuclear power program, the paper further argues that in order to succeed in mass perceptual change, policymakers must first clearly understand the contextual environment in which the policy is being formulated. In doing so, policymakers will be better able to customize policy design to appeal to stakeholder perceptions and sentiments. Although the context of this paper is the perceptual modification of public opinion to support nuclear power, the authors suggest that the same framework can be applied to perceptual modification of any policy that the general public might be opposed to. In the energy sector, this could apply to fostering a transition to renewable energy as easily as it applies to nurturing nuclear power development. However, the Japanese case puts forth a caveat in this regard, there is evidence that the mindsets of the Japanese policymakers were predisposed to advocacy of nuclear power and once policymakers commit to a technological trajectory, it is hard to engender a change of course. Therefore, the article concludes by speculating on how the perceptions of policymakers might be similarly altered through efforts from the alternative energy sector to foster policy change. Highlights • 4 elements frame pace, scale and scope of technological change. • The elements are change incentives, alternatives, stakeholder perceptions & contextual influence. • Altering public perception requires 4 strategic steps. • 4 Steps: i) problematize, ii) lay a foundation for change, iii) reshape perceptions, and iv) entrench. • The paper applies this to explain rise of Japan's nuclear power industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Japan started implementing a national Feed-In Tariff (FiT) mechanism on the 1st July 2012, which included specific payment tariffs for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. This marks a new era in the renewable energy landscape in Japan. This paper aims at analysing the solar PV prospect in Japan, particularly in both residential and non-residential sectors. The paper presents, first, an overview of energy trends in Japan prior to the Fukushima event. This is followed by a short review of solar PV progress in the country, highlighting the major policies and programmes that have been implemented as well as the installations that have been carried out over the past two decades. Next, the financial impact of the new FiT scheme on consumers is evaluated. The financial analysis investigates the total profit, the average annual return on investment and the payback period. For a comparison purposes, a similar financial analysis is also conducted with selected countries around the world – namely Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The results from this analysis indicate that the new Japanese FiT rate generates a good profit, a moderate annual return on investment and an acceptable payback period, suggesting an increasing trend of solar PV uptake over the next years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Energy is important for sustainable development, yet multidimensional challenges exist for policy makers in transformations to sustainable energy systems. Sustainable development is generally recognised as having a three-lens approach: development must balance impacts in the economic, environmental and cultural dimensions. While cultural themes such as governance, motivation, and social values are widely acknowledged in the literature as critical for transformations to sustainability, however, research on these themes has been scant. Culture influences many aspects of society; hence it is important to consider culture when developing policies for sustainable development. Understanding national cultures can lead to greater understanding of what shapes national policy and strategies for transformations to sustainable energy systems. Understanding cultural influences on policy can help other countries to overcome similar challenges in policy making, planning or local resource management. Comparisons between countries serve to further advance the understanding of approaches to such challenges. This paper examines transformations towards sustainable energy through the lens of culture, through a case study of geothermal development in Iceland and Japan. Using Hoftsede's cultural theory framework, we highlight cultural variables relevant to sustainability transformations, with particular emphasis on the challenges of the management of geothermal energy resources, and the management of related conflicts and public participation. We present our findings garnered from interviews with key players in the energy industry in both countries reinforced by an extensive literature review. We find that culture clearly influences the approach to geothermal energy development in both countries and we identify benefits and disadvantages to approaches on overlapping issues and challenges in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper focuses on the critical actors (herein called Driving Actors) and their activities to promote sustainable energy policies and businesses in cases where renewable energy facilities are gradually installed in a local area by changes in lifestyle from one based on fossil fuels to a sustainable one. This paper aims to 1) evaluate activity to promote renewable energy in local community using analytical approaches as an iterative approach and stakeholder analysis, and 2) to propose an analytical framework for the RE implementation process and to describe the important roles of the Driving Actors. We investigated the case of Bizen city in Japan by participant observations. Consequently, Driving Actors are responsible for encouraging RE implementation in the local area. They coordinate and run the RE (Renewable Energy) program to gain experience and know-how as well as create a business scheme, which has business risk due to the absence of effective policies by the national government during the middle phase to promote local success of RE. If the national government implements effective policies to disseminate RE facilities during the middle phase, then the Takeoff phase is ascertained and existing big companies and financial organizations would begin to participate RE businesses. On the other hand, if the national government does not change its policy, Driving Actors must initiate a creative RE project using their expertise in the middle phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]