Renewable energy sources generated 20.3% of Japan’s electricity in the fiscal year through March, up by 0.5 percentage point from the previous year, exceeding 20% for the first time ever, according to industry ministry data.

Solar power accounted for 8.3%, wind power 0.9% and hydropower 7.5%.

Meanwhile, nuclear power’s share rose 3.0 points to 6.9%, reflecting progress in reactivating reactors.

However, renewables’ share of electricity generation in Japan was still low compared with other major economies.

According to the ministry, in 2020 the share stood at 43.6% in Germany and 43.1% in Britain. Even in China, which is highly reliant on coal-fired power generation, it came to 27.7%.

Japan has set a target of making renewables account for 36% to 38% by fiscal 2030, but it will not be easy to achieve the goal, pundits say.

In fiscal 2020, thermal power generation met 72.9% of total electricity demand, with natural gas making up 34.4% and coal 31.0%.

Carbon dioxide emissions grew 1.2% to 980 million tons, up for the first time in eight years, due chiefly to the resumption of economic activities amid the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But pointing out that carbon dioxide emissions had dropped 20.7% from fiscal 2013, industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said, “Japan is heading toward the government’s goal of reducing the emissions by 46% by fiscal 2030.”