Newsletter Japan (June & July 2025)

On July 18, 2025, the Japan-Germany Energy Partnership team, together with the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (AHK Japan), hosted a webinar on “Offshore Wind Energy: Marine Spatial Planning and Conflicting Uses.” The event brought together experts from Japan and Germany to discuss current policies, challenges, and potential solutions for the expansion of offshore wind energy.

Key topics included presentations on offshore wind policies in both countries by Tyark Reddig (OFFSHORE-WINDENERGIE Foundation) and Mika Ohbayashi (Renewable Energy Institute), who addressed both achievements and challenges such as rising material costs and supply chain issues. Ulrich Scheffler (BSH) and Tomohiko Tsuchida (JOGMEC) provided insights into marine spatial planning and consensus-building among different stakeholder groups. Vanessa Stelzenmüller (Thünen Institute) and Yoichi Oda (Nagasaki University) explored the opportunities offered by the multiple use of offshore areas, particularly the coexistence of fisheries and wind energy, as well as the potential of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The webinar facilitated a constructive exchange on approaches to reconciling renewable energy development with existing uses of marine space and highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation for a sustainable energy future.