July 13, 2023
Japan Fair Trade Commission
1. Purpose
Japan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and the “Basic Policy for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2023” (approved by the Cabinet on June 16, 2023) states, “To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, Japan will boldly accelerate GX investment while making the most of its technological strength, which is supposed to create new demand and markets in the areas of energy security and decarbonization, and to lead to the enhancement of industrial competitiveness and economic growth of the Japanese economy”. As part of this basic policy, the Government will “support the development of charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure with the goal of 100% electric vehicles in new vehicle sales by 2035”.
In addition, the “Green Growth Strategy Through Achieving Carbon Neutrality in 2050” (June 18, 2021) states that “we aim to install 150,000 units of charging infrastructure, including (abbreviated) 30,000 quick chargers for public use, to achieve the same level of convenience as gasoline vehicles by 2030 at the latest” lest the lack of charging infrastructure should hinder the spread of electric vehicles.
In light of the above-mentioned government targets, the market for electric vehicle (“EV”) charging services is expected to grow rapidly, and the market environment is also expected to change significantly in the near future.
Accordingly, in order to promote fair and free competition in the development of charging infrastructure, and to promote the realization of a green society from the viewpoint of competition policy by stimulating new entrants and promoting innovation, the Japan Fair Trade Commission has conducted a market study on EV charging services on expressways , where rapid charging is particularly needed to prevent EVs from running out of charge during long-distance travel.
2. Results
Please see the report as attached.
