May 29, 2024
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(1) ” (approved by the Cabinet on June 16, 2023) states that the Government “will support … the development of charging and hydrogen fuelling infrastructure, … towards a target of 100% of new passenger vehicle sales being for vehicles that are electrically driven … by 2035”.
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. In this context, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (“JFTC”) released a market study report on July 13, 2023 (hereinafter referred to as the “2023 Report”), targeting EV charging services on expressways, with the aim of assisting the realization of a green society. In the 2023 Report, the JFTC made recommendations from the perspective of enhancing the vitality of businesses, increasing utility for consumers, and stimulating innovation by boosting the market mechanism function, i.e., promoting the efficient use of resources through fair and free competition.
Subsequently, the “Guidelines for Promoting the Development of EV Charging Infrastructure(2)
” were formulated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on October 18 of the same year, which articulated that “Japan aims to develop a society with EV charging infrastructure that is highly convenient and sustainable, on par with the rest of the world, comprehensively taking into account the three principles of “improving user convenience,” “making EV charging businesses more independent and sophisticated,” and “reducing burdens on society as a whole.” Considering, particularly, the second principle of “making EV charging businesses more independent and sophisticated,” it is believed that the development of EV charging infrastructure in Japan is proceeding with consideration of the market mechanism.
The JFTC believes that it remains important to promote the market mechanism function in the development of EV charging infrastructure and to support the realization of a green society from the perspective of competition policy; accordingly, since the publication of the 2023 Report, the JFTC has continued to conduct a market study on EV charging services, including the services on offexpressways, and has now compiled and published the results of the study.
2. Results
Please see the report as attached.
*(1) https://www5.cao.go.jp/keizai1/basicpolicies-e.html
*(2) https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2023/1018_002.html
