Japan Implements Electricity Rationing for the First Time in 7 Years

The Japanese government has implemented a system of electricity rationing for the first time in seven years, urging households and businesses to wisely reduce their consumption during the summer season. This decision is based on estimates indicating that, in the event of a severe heatwave affecting nearly all regions of the country, except for Okinawa in the south and Hokkaido in the north, energy reserves could drop to just 3.7 percent, which is considered critical at the threshold of 3 percent. The rationing system allows for the use of air conditioning and other electrical devices to avoid heat-related issues, but requires reductions in electricity consumption for non-essential purposes such as advertising billboards, store lighting displays, televisions in shops, and other similar uses. Supply issues have emerged amid rising energy resource prices, decreased output from thermal power plants, due to plans to transition to "clean" energy types, and growing concerns about the stability of electricity supplies.