This presentation, given at the International Forum for Sustainable Asia, discusses the potential employment impacts of decarbonizing the Japanese power sector in line with Japan’s 80% emissions reductions target by 2050. Based on power sector employment data, the author identifies the potential impacts on employment by location and economic sector, as well as on demographic inequalities within the workforce.

The results indicate that decarbonization will result in a net increase in domestic employment and supply stable jobs in rural areas. They also indicate that it will ameliorate existing inequalities in the working-age population, contributing to the revitalization of local economies. However, surplus workers will likely be pushed out of conventional power plant jobs. The author concludes that a just transition is possible if governments implement policy measures to support surplus workers and communicate layoff decisions well in advance.