Japan Will Ease Restrictions on Coal-Fired Power to Safeguard Energy Supplies

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo on Jan. 19, 2026. Rodrigo Reyes Marin/ReutersJapan will temporarily ease restrictions on coal-fired power plants and may increase nuclear output in the fiscal year 2026 to safeguard energy supplies, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on March 27.The measures are part of a broader effort by Tokyo to reduce reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and strengthen national energy security, amid the ongoing Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.