In Japan, over 160 coal-fired power plants are currently operating and emitting significant amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG). Because it’s necessary to reduce GHG emissions in order to prevent further global warming, it’s important to understand how much actual GHG is emitted.

In June 2022, Kiko Network collected and analyzed available data of GHG emissions in 2018 from major business operators. According to the report, 50% of Japan’s GHG is emitted by 135 companies. This report also indicates that emissions from thermal power plants account for about one third of Japan’s emissions, and 37 coal-fired power plants account for half of that amount (17% of Japan’s total emissions).

■ GHG emissions from coal-fired power plants in Japan

Looking at a breakdown of Japan’s GHG emissions by business sectors, it is clear that emissions from the power sector account for over 30% of emissions, of which more than half come from coal-fired power plants. Most of those emissions come from 37 coal-fired power plants with emissions of 1 million tons-CO2 or more.

■ Emissions from coal-fired power plants

In FY2018, 77% of Japan’s electricity came from thermal power generation, of which coal-fired power accounted for 31.6%. The table below shows the names of power plants and their operators in descending order of annual emissions in FY2018. From this, it is clear that the scale of emissions from coal-fired power plants is massive.

<Power plants by GHG emissions, TOP 20>

This is an emissions analysis for FY 2018, but since no emission reductions, stricter emission controls, or carbon pricing have been implemented since then to move toward a coal phase-out, the current emissions are not expected to differ much from these numbers. Immediate measures are required for Japan to achieve its 2050 Net Zero goal and a phase-out of coal-fired power.

Reference :

• National Institute for Environmental Studies, The GHG Emissions Data of Japan
  National GHG Inventory Report of JAPAN (NIR) (Link)