Energy and the Environment

Objective of our research on “energy and the environment”

We analyze policy issues related to energy, environment, and resources from various perspectives and make recommendations.

Research areas

  • Research on innovation-based solutions to energy and global warming issues
  • Legal analysis of the approaches to secure nuclear safety
  • Analysis of changes in market structure and industrial structure brought about by decarbonization
  • Study on the sustainable comprehensive use of sea areas and Japan-China exchanges

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Event Report

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Research Themes

Project Member(s) Research Director Hisashi YOSHIKAWA ・ Senior Research Fellow Genki KATATA
Research Objective

Research Objective: We develop the strategy to solve global warming through technological innovation and propose policy and institution arrangement to make it happen. We also examine scientific knowledge and environmental impacts of global warming and explore national mitigation strategy of global warming that hit balance among national security, economy and environment.

Project Leader Research Director Hisashi YOSHIKAWA
Project Member(s) Senior Research Fellow Shinsuke TOYONAGA
Research Objective

To expand our study field towards decarbonized energy including nuclear power and hydrogen power, we will propose political analysis on the transnational networks and next-generation human resources development from legal, ethical and economical viewpoints. More specifically, we will analyze negative factors on development of renewable energy based on court judgements regarding to objective and subjective risks of science and technology.

Project Leader Nobuo Tanaka, Special Advisor(Sasakawa Peace Foundation)
Project Member(s) Research Director Hisashi YOSHIKAWA ・ Senior Research Fellow Fengjun DUAN
Research Objective

In order to examine the roles and challenges of the peaceful use of nuclear energy, we will take a wide range of viewpoints, - not only energy source but also nuclear non-proliferation, diplomacy and security, international cooperation, technological improvement and innovation, contributions to global warming countermeasures, employment and promotion of industrial/regional development, human resources development, and risk assessment and management -, to explore what kind of contributions can be expected for sustainable development. We will also take the post coronavirus world into account, and compile our policy recommendations.

Project Leader Senior Research Fellow Fengjun DUAN
Research Objective

China is the world's largest energy consuming country and carbon dioxide emitting country, while being aggressive to introduce low-carbon energy such as renewable energy and nuclear energy. We aim to examine how Japan and China should develop strategic exchanges and a cooperative relationship to contribute to the solutions of warming issues and construction of long-term energy visions in Japan.

Project Leader Senior Research Fellow Fengjun DUAN
Research Objective

Discussions about nuclear energy are concentrated on the restart of existing nuclear power plants now in Japan. The stagnant of the development of next-generation nuclear technologies would make introducing oversea technologies the only future option when we need them. We will then design a development strategy from the standpoint of industrial promotion and international cooperation in order to examine the necessity for development of new-generation nuclear power considering long-term energy visions and their risks.

Project Leader Senior Research Fellow Fengjun DUAN
Collaborator(s) Shigeru TABETA (Professor, The University of Tokyo)
Research Objective

Although technological development of ocean energy is progressing in Japan, the practical application has been delayed due to certain economic constraints. On the other hand, the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy that is designed to promote ocean industry development including seabed mineral resources exploitation and marine aquaculture industry has been implemented. We will study the possibilities of constructing an offshore food and energy production base using large floating structures, and aim to provide engineering solutions for sustainable development and use of ocean energy.

Project Leader Research Director Takaya IMAI
Project Member(s) Research Director Hisashi YOSHIKAWA
Collaborator(s) Etsuo SATO (Secretariat General , Executive Bureau, Electricity and Gas Market Surveillance Commission)
Research Objective

To realize carbon neutrality, it is necessary to build a policy mechanism that is designed to reflect the accumulation of technology and its results in the lives of the citizens. Collective and efficient technology investments and system improvements will need to be promoted under transnational cooperation; technological investment, which is essential from the perspective of national security, must never be neglected. Based on the above, we will analyze core technology trends and market risks, identify changes in markets and industrial structures, and study the allocation of roles between the government and private sectors, as well as ideal policy approaches, while taking a bird’s eye view and verifying the trends in energy policies and effects of the past policies.

Research Fellows

(in Alphabetical Order)