Not only is there little sign of agreement, the political friction is increasing. But despite the nation’s energy challenges, there is good reason to believe that this can be a landmark year for Japanese renewables.

The country’s 50 or so nuclear power plants have been shut down while investigations determine how earthquake-proof they are. To plug the gap left by nuclear, Japan is spending an extra $30bn a year on imported fossil fuels, causing a sharp rise in the electricity tariff and increased carbon emissions.

Clearly,