How Japan Can Avoid Europe’s Energy Mistakes

All of this teaches the dangers of relying on despotic leaders determined to upend the global order. While the struggle for energy may not come to Japan in the same way, Japanese policy makers can learn from Europe’s energy vulnerability. Tokyo can avoid Europe’s predicament, but it must move quickly. The Dec. 1 launch of the U.S.-Japan Energy Security Dialogue offers an excellent opportunity for our two countries to reinforce our shared energy-security goals.

European countries are in a mad dash to reduce their reliance on Russian energy by two-thirds this year—by diversifying gas supplies, accelerating renewable-energy deployment and improving energy efficiency. It’s a monumental undertaking made harder by decades of deteriorating energy infrastructure. Their work has been nothing short of heroic.

A similar task awaits the Japanese. For Japan to achieve energy security and meet its climate goals, it must activate its well-developed nuclear-power industry. Japan has the deep technical know-how for this, but every day its nuclear plants are offline, that know-how is diluted. Prime Minister

Fumio Kishida’s

pledge to restart some of the country’s nuclear-power plants took courage, and he knows better than anyone the domestic political challenges of embracing nuclear power, especially after the nuclear-leak crisis caused by a tsunami in March 2011. Governing is about making these difficult choices, and the sooner Japan restarts its nuclear plants, the closer it is to energy security and climate stability.

While the existing plants can be restarted, the U.S. and Japan are also looking to the future of nuclear power: advancing small modular reactor capabilities. Our two countries are in the lead on this cutting-edge technology, and we’re already working together to support its use in such countries as Romania and Ghana.

Japan can also use its ingenuity and engineering skills to advance the use of hydrogen. Japan had invested many years in pioneering hydrogen supply chains, leaving it with a 20-year head start on hydrogen technology, which was once seen as impractical. Japanese companies such as

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,

Kawasaki Heavy and

Iwatani

are leading the way on clean hydrogen, and Japan’s natural abundance of freshwater is a major asset for deploying this energy source. Hydrogen has a chance to become a clean and stable energy alternative for heavy industry.

Japan can likewise become a leader in new battery technologies. The world’s top three holders of electric-vehicle patents are all Japanese. Japan has the real potential to transform these skills into a driving force that would reduce its energy insecurity while leading the energy transition internationally.

Another lesson from Europe is that countries should import natural gas from their friends, not their enemies. Last year Russia supplied about 9% of Japan’s liquefied natural gas. Australia supplied the most, over 36%. The U.S. already supplies Japan with 10% of its LNG, and we are ready to do more. Planned expansions in states such as Alaska could, based on private-sector studies, supply Japan’s current and future demand at a reasonable cost with much lower methane emissions than alternative LNG. Alaska LNG can travel to Japan in six days without any strategic chokepoints and can make Japan the energy export hub for the Indo-Pacific to reduce its coal dependency. If America, Australia and other friends can supply the majority of Japan’s LNG needs, why would Japan need to rely on its adversaries?

Japan should also deploy more renewable energy and improve energy efficiency. Domestic resources such as solar and wind are already powering communities from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and geothermal and tidal energy could further improve the mix, helping Japan reach its goal of meeting 24% of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030. Retrofitting buildings and lighting, heating and cooling systems will make offices and homes more energy-efficient. And given Japan’s commercial building stock, this could significantly reduce Japan’s energy needs.

Japan isn’t as resource-poor as commonly portrayed. While it may not have oil and gas, it does have other valuable domestic resources and technological know-how on which to draw. Energy is the lifeblood of industrial economies, and great democracies like ours can’t rely on capricious dictators for their security. Japan has the benefit of being able to learn from Europe’s example—and it should act accordingly.

A wise man once said, “Never allow a good crisis to go to waste.” Japan’s energy crisis is Japan’s energy opportunity. America’s security commitment to Japan is more than just weapons. It is also our energy resources and technology.

Mr. Emanuel is U.S. ambassador to Japan.