Editorial

16:09 JST, September 5, 2025

Offshore wind power generation, which has been positioned as a decisive factor in the spread of renewable energy, has stumbled from the outset. The government needs to rethink its plans to ensure decarbonization efforts continue unabated.

A consortium including Mitsubishi Corp. has announced its withdrawal from offshore wind power projects in three sea areas — two off Akita Prefecture and one off Choshi, Chiba Prefecture. It said that soaring material costs have more than doubled construction expenses, rendering the projects unprofitable.

The government put legislation into effect in 2019 to accelerate the introduction of offshore wind power generation. Mitsubishi’s projects were the first of this kind approved through public tender.

Since the government had high hopes for the projects, the fact that it........

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