Japan’s offshore wind: a global collaboration

Japan's ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 positions offshore wind power as a cornerstone of its energy strategy. This objective not only aligns with global decarbonisation efforts but also presents a substantial opportunity for growth. However, several key challenges must be addressed: securing an optimal supply chain, enacting government policies to facilitate global supply chain support for offshore construction, and harmonising international standards with Japan's domestic construction practices.

Accelerating Japan’s offshore wind offering 

As part of its plans to accelerate offshore wind development, Japan initiated offshore wind auctions, targeting 10 gigawatts (GW) of capacity by 2030, and up to 30-45 GW by 2040. By the end of 2024, ten projects totalling 4.6 GW were awarded to eight consortiums. They are currently progressing through detailed design, planning and other pre-planning stages.  

Further emphasising Japan’s commitment to increasing its offshore wind offer, in February 2025, The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced that a cabinet decision was made on the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan, incorporating changes since its previous revision in October 2021.  

“Under the new climate policy, Japan aims to achieve a greenhouse gas reduction rate of 73 percent by 2040, a jump from its 22.9 percent reduction achievement in 2022.”

This ambitious goal is a key driver behind Japan’s offshore wind expansion, reinforcing its crucial role in Japan’s broader decarbonisation strategy.  

As offshore wind continues to be an essential clean energy source in Japan, the plan for offshore wind remains aggressive and largely unchanged –despite such challenges as significant price increases and political changes in some countries. 

Understanding the global supply chain context 

With the offshore wind industry on the brink of exponential growth, success in the Japanese market depends on the country’s ability to secure a supply chain amidst global competition for expertise, materials and practical resources.

With supply chain bottlenecks increasingly disrupting wind farm deliveries worldwide, and global capacity expected to soar to 195 GW by 2030, the supply chain remains one of the most pressing concerns for industry players. 

“To mitigate risks and delays, and to optimise project planning and execution, an understanding of the increasingly international market, as well as innovative supply chain and procurement approaches, is essential.”

Managing the specialist materials and equipment essential for offshore wind construction is particularly challenging, especially due to their high demand in more immediately profitable sectors like oil and gas.

For Japan, the primary objective must be to establish a robust, industrialised supply chain. This must not only support the delivery of domestic offshore wind goals but also enhances capacity in constrained market sectors, such as export cable and foundation fabrication.

Adopting sustainable procurement methods and fostering strong relationships with suppliers will be essential for reducing the costs and risks associated with offshore wind development in Japan. By deploying innovative procurement strategies that are mindful of global opportunities and risks, and by continuing to develop a robust skills base, the industry will enable consistent delivery and instill investor confidence.

Through this approach, the industry will be empowered to scale up, ensuring that Japan's offshore wind sector fulfills its crucial role in clean energy generation and develops technology that can be exported globally.

Aligning global best practice with Japan’s strengths    

Offshore wind power has been advancing in Europe for over 30 years, resulting in well-established standards across technology, regulations, operations and management. These standards, refined through extensive trial and error, are widely recognised as global benchmarks.  

With Japan still in its early stages of early offshore wind development, the country must integrate these standards to ensure efficient progress. As projects in this sector often involve multiple international stakeholders and can be evaluated against global benchmarks, the adoption of global standards is a necessity for Japan. 

“While some global standards could be readily adopted, a tailored approach, prioritising alignment with Japan's strengths, a flexibility built on a foundation of sincerity and trust, is essential for effective implementation within the country.”

For example, digital tools for scheduling, information and risk management provide clear processes and ensure that data is communicated, implemented and reported. To maximise benefits, these standards should be introduced as early as possible, ideally during due diligence and financial planning.  

A centralised process for safety, cost and commercial, schedule and risk management is also essential. Through this approach, Japan can drive innovation, de-risk projects and establish itself as a leader in offshore wind development within the region.  

Unlocking the full potential of Japan’s offshore wind   

While Japan’s existing methods have proven effective in domestic construction projects so far, offshore wind development introduces complexities that demand a more structured and internationally aligned approach. 

Simply imposing new processes onto Japan’s domestic project management workflows may not be effective. The transition must be deliberate, adaptable and supported by clear communication to address challenges like language barriers, industry qualification requirements, differing business norms and resistance to change.  

“The integration of international standards with domestic project management would additionally lower barriers for Japanese firms to expand more internationally, building its global competitiveness.”

To achieve success, Japan’s offshore wind sector must focus on:  

Understanding the global context

Developing effective project strategies requires an in-depth understanding of the global supply chain for offshore wind, particularly in the context of Japan's manufacturing capabilities, local content requirements, industrial policies and regulatory nuances.

Gathering detailed insights and leveraging global experience and lessons learnt will help alleviate challenges during execution. This approach will enable developer business case parameters to be protected and first power to be delivered on schedule.

Taking time to align  

Project management strategies must be carefully integrated, ensuring gaps in the process, culture and execution are identified and addressed. Stakeholders should collaboratively stress test project goals to create a shared framework that supports both local and global expectations.

Taking this proactive approach can help identify risks and challenges early on. This allows for adjustments and contingency plans to be made, ensuring the project’s success.  

Setting up for high performance 

Implementing digital-driven solutions in the initial phase builds a strong foundation to set the project up for success.  

The use of advanced digital tools for schedule management, risk mitigation and real-time collaboration can provide a secure, structured foundation for offshore wind project execution.  

Regularly testing readiness 

Embedding structured project readiness studies into the planning phase will help ensure global best practices are effectively applied. Continuing to evaluate and adapt as the project progresses into later phases will manage risks, optimise efficiency and improve safety standards over time.  

Achieving global standards to minimse risk 

To meet Japan's high expectations for offshore wind energy, the country must combine European best practices with its existing strengths. This requires strengthening verification and coordination mechanisms to effectively address integration challenges, ensuring successful project delivery and collaboration with global stakeholders. 

“Stakeholders in the industry should be encouraged to review and adapt project management procedures, emphasising the importance of aligning domestic practices with global standards.”

Failure to integrate global best practices presents significant risks for Japan and may hinder its ability to meet ambitious clean energy targets. Early-stage collaboration and the integration of digital tools to streamline processes while maintaining Japanese core values in decision-making and execution is key.