Losing Steam: Why Does Japan Produce So Little Geothermal Power?

Abstract

Japan has long faced energy insecurity due to its extreme dependence on energy imports. Why, then, has Japan failed to exploit its huge domestic geothermal energy resources, which could provide up to 10% of the country’s electricity needs? This article argues that local interests empowered by national policy have been the main obstacle to expansion of geothermal power production in Japan since the 1970s. The article substantiates its claim with a historical analysis of national geothermal policy and a fieldwork-based case study of geothermal power development in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture.