Cabinet Decision on the Bill for the Act for Partially Amending the Act on Promoting the Utilization of Sea Areas for the Development of Marine Renewable Energy Power Generation Facilities

1. Background

Offshore wind power generation is considered to be a key factor in making renewable energy a primary source of electricity in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Japan has set a project formation target for offshore wind power generation of 10 million kW by 2030 and 30 million to 45 million kW by 2040. To reach these targets, Japan should not only form projects targeting its territorial and inland waters under the current laws but also take on project formation targeting its Exclusive Economic Zones. In addition, it also needs to consider the marine environment.

2. Outline of the bill

1. Revising the title of the Act
   • Revising the current title of the Act on Promoting the Utilization of Sea Areas for the Development of Marine Renewable Energy Power Generation Facilities to the Act on the Development of Marine Renewable Energy Power Generation Facilities
2. Establishing a system to permit business operators to install marine renewable energy power generation facilities in the Exclusive Economic Zones of Japan
   • Designation by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of solicitation zones for the installation of marine renewable energy power generation facilities
   • Granting by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of provisional status to business operators that intend to install such facilities in such zones
   • Establishment by the two ministers of a council consisting of business operators to which provisional status has been granted, stakeholders and other entities as members
   • Issuing permission by the two ministers to the business operators to which provisional status has been granted to install such facilities if the business operators satisfy certain criteria, including consistency with particulars on which the council has reached a consensus
3. Allowing the Minister of the Environment to conduct research on the marine environment in order to designate promotion zones for the development of marine renewable energy power generation facilities; and establishing measures to exclude a part of procedures conducted under the Environmental Impact Assessment Act

Related Materials (in Japanese)

• Summary of the Bill for the Act(PDF:100KB)
• Outline of the Bill for the Act(PDF:2,031KB)
• Bill for the Act and the reason therefor(PDF:11,979KB)
• Comparison of the prior and revised provisions(PDF:21,654KB)
• Referential provisions(PDF:17,340KB)

Division in Charge

• National Ocean Policy Secretariat, Cabinet Office
• Wind Energy Policy Office, New and Renewable Energy Division, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
• Ocean and Environmental Policy Division, Ports and Harbours Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
• Environmental Impact Assessment Division, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of the Environment