Japan's Solar PV Market – Some Observations

 Japan has seen significant investment in its renewable energy market, especially in solar photovoltaic ("PV") projects, since the introduction of the feed-in-tariff ("FIT") regime for renewable energy in July 2012 (un-der the Act on Special Measures Concerning Procurement of Renewable Energy-Sourced Electricity by Electric Utilities (the "Renewable Energy Act")). The FIT regime was adopted to accelerate more investment in the renewable energy sector and introduce greater diversity in Japan's power mix following the Fukushima earthquake and the subsequent shut down of nuclear power plants across Japan. This article will provide a brief overview of the Japanese solar PV market and the effects of some of the recent legislative changes to the FIT regime on such market.