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As part of its economy-wide decarbonization target towards 2050, Japan plans to increase renewable generation, especially offshore wind, for which the country has a high potential. However, this resource is currently under-developed as available turbines are prone to shut-downs and can even suffer damage during the passage of typhoons. With new typhoon proof (T-class) turbines being currently developed by various companies, Japan now aims to develop 10 GW of offshore wind between 2021 and 2030, and 91 GW in the long-term. This research estimates the impact of integrating offshore wind into the Japanese main power grid using T-class turbines by considering three scenarios. First, a business-as-usual (BAU) case with 10 GW offshore wind capacity (following the 6th Strategic Energy Plan of Japan). Second, an offshore wind capacity of 91 GW. Third, the 91 GW offshore capacity being redistributed amongst regions to maximize its integration opportunities (Scenario 2). The simulations were carried out using the Energy System simulation model (EnSym). The results show that the BAU and Scenario 1 resulted in offshore wind achieving 1.7% and 7.28% of generation share, respectively, increasing to 9.77% for Scenario 2. Increasing the share of offshore wind in the energy mix mainly replaced liquefied natural gas (LNG). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five cases of ports in Japan and Indonesia that have subsided by a metre or more were analysed. The findings suggest that there are no unsurmountable technological, cost-benefit, financial and social limits to the progressive raising of these ports, at least for the magnitude of climate-induced sea-level rise expected during the 21st century. In Indonesia observed adaptation is a sequential process: only part of the port is raised at one time, allowing port operations to continue elsewhere and spreading costs in time. Jumps in unit costs are apparent as the elevation height increases. In addition, the possibility of sea-level rise triggering innovative changes in port design to lower costs (e.g., a move to floating ports) is being considered. For traditional ports to upgrade by up to 1 metre, unit costs are found to be somewhere between 50–360 USD/m3 rise (not including the cost of piling). Nevertheless, such adaptation costs would represent a significant burden and adaptation is often reactive rather than proactive, leading to significant damage costs, as in the case of Hurricane Katrina's impact on Gulf Coast Ports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011, Japan has relied on imported fossil fuels for electricity generation, but is quickly increasing its share of renewable energy sources. Recent development has been in biomass, geothermal, wind, and solar PV, though little attention has been given to the potential of marine energy resources. The present paper carries out an analysis of the economic viability of this resource using real wave and tidal current data. The results show that marine energy technologies could be cost-effective at several locations in Japan, and can pragmatically add reliable and predictable power to the energy generation mix. Deployed in straits with strong tidal flows near large population centers in western Japan, SeaGen and Verdant-type tidal turbines are shown to operate at costs far below the current price of electricity in the country. In northern Japan, the Aquabuoy, Pelamis, WaveDragon, and Guarda-type Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converters show costs near the current price of electricity. Even though Aquabuoy and Pelamis are now defunct, it is likely that in the future new generation wave energy converters would be able to produce electricity at even lower costs and further enhance the practicality of developing wave power in northern Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small islands have often relied on the development of air transport to strengthen their economy, which often centers upon the tourism industry. However, such massive infrastructure projects become controversial, as the media has often framed infrastructure discourse into a conflict between environmental preservation and economic development. This paper explores the media portrayal of a proposal to develop an airport in the Ogasawara Islands, a remote Japanese region inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2011. A thematic analysis was used to determine common themes found in 76 articles on the topic written between 2011 and 2019. These themes were then compared to an analysis of an island-wide census of residents, which collected opinions on the proposed airport and a follow-up interview conducted by the authors. The results reveal that the media had simplified and even misrepresented local opinion on the airport development as either pro-airport or pro-environment. Local islanders possessed complex opinions on the subject matter, and themes were identified beyond the typical economic development versus environment protection binary discourse associated with media coverage on infrastructure projects. Based on data collected from local interviews, this paper concludes with alternative scenarios to address local concerns. • The media has a significant role in transport infrastructure development. • Conflict between environmental vs economic development is presented. • The media can simplify and even misrepresented local opinion. • In Ogasawara, alternative scenarios to address local concerns are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Modelled hourly electricity supply/demand balance under different energy mixes in Japan. [•] Evaluation of electricity security of supply indicators for baseline and alternative generation mixes. [•] Demonstrated security improvements for high share of renewables and nuclear phase-out. [•] Structure of supply sector might have to dramatically change to guarantee system reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of scientists have recently conducted research that shows that tropical cyclone intensity is likely to increase in the future. This would result in an increase in the damage along with a decrease in economic productivity due to precautionary cessation of the economic activity of the affected areas during the passage of the cyclone. The economic effect of this stop in economic activity is a phenomenon that has not received much attention in the past, and the cumulative effect that it can have on the Japanese economy over the next 75 years has never been evaluated. The starting point for the evaluation of the economic risks is the change in the patterns of tropical cyclone intensity suggested by Knutson and Tuleya. The results obtained show how a significant decrease in the overall productivity of the country could be expected, which could lower GDP by between 6% and 13% by 2085. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar PV capacity growth in Japan has been facilitated by a number of government schemes that have been implemented since 1994. Publicly available capacity data are provided by a number of agencies and organisations at various resolutions and at different stages within these schemes. This study provides a comprehensive review of solar PV data sources in Japan between 1994 and 2019, as well as an introduction to the subsidy schemes and organisations involved in scheme management and data collection in Japan. As a result, the authors produced their own dataset of installed capacities and generation across time for the various regions. Lastly, this study provides insights and recommendations to policy makers regarding opportunities for improving the accessibility and quality of data from a user perspective and to enhance Japan's presence in international research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International tourism continues to grow with ten years of consecutive growth, excluding an expected period of decline in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Since 2011, tourism in Japan has seen a sharp rise due to the relaxation of visa requirements, as part of the Japanese government's strategy to revitalize the national economy since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. This number is expected to rise during the 2020–2021 Tokyo Olympics. However increased tourism also exposes more people to Japan's numerous natural hazard vulnerabilities, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Several venues for the Tokyo Olympics are located in Kanagawa Prefecture, which has a past history of powerful earthquakes and devastating tsunamis. This research examines how hotels along Kanagawa's Sagami Bay, a popular tourism destination prepare for a tsunami event. For this research, we've developed a resilience adaptive capacity wheel to examine elements of public-private collaboration for disaster preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction emphasizes the need to rebuild better after a disaster to ensure that the at-risk communities can withstand a similar or stronger shock in the future. In the present work, the authors analyzed the reconstruction paths through a comparative analysis of the perspective of a community in Japan and another in Chile, and their respective local governments. While both countries are at risk to tsunamis, they follow different reconstruction philosophies. Data was gathered through key informant interviews of community members and local government officials, by adapting and modifying the Building Resilience to Adapt to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED) 3As framework to a tsunami scenario. The 3As represent anticipatory, adaptive, and absorptive capacities as well as transformative capacities and respondents were asked to rate this according to their perspectives. It was found that while both communities perceive that much is to be done in recovery, Kirikiri has a more holistic and similar perspective of the recovery with their government officials as compared to Dichato. This shows that community reconstruction and recovery from a disaster requires a holistic participation and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typhoon Jebi struck Japan on the 4 September 2018, damaging and inundating many coastal areas along Osaka Bay due to the high winds, a storm surge, and wind driven waves. In order to understand the various damage mechanisms, the authors conducted a field survey two days after the typhoon made landfall, measuring inundation heights and depths at several locations in Hyogo Prefecture. The survey results showed that 0.18–1.27 m inundation depths were caused by Typhoon Jebi. As parts of the survey, local residents were interviewed about the flooding, and a questionnaire survey regarding awareness of typhoons and storm surges, and their response to the typhoon was distributed. The authors also mapped the location of some of the containers that were displaced by the storm surge, aiming to provide information to validate future simulation models of container displacement. Finally, some interesting characteristics of the storm surge are summarized, such as possible overtopping at what had initially been thought to be a low risk area (Suzukaze town), and lessons learnt in terms of disaster risk management are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]