Japan: A key partner and growth market

  • In August 2022, Japan launched a national battery strategy to invigorate its battery industry, aiming at establishing a domestic manufacturing base for batteries and materials totaling 150 GWh per year by 2030.

  • In addition, Japan aims for 20% share of global battery market by 2030 by boosting global output capacity at Japanese companies by tenfold to 600 GWh by 2030. The government underlines the key role global alliances will play in this.

  • The Japanese battery strategy focuses particularly on the development of all-solid-state batteries.

  • The Japanese battery industry aims to regain global battery market share by leading the commercialization of next generation batteries and aims to enable full-scale commercialization of solid-state batteries by 2030.

  • To meet the goals in the 2022 Battery Strategy, the Japanese government calls for USD 24 bn in investment from both public and private sectors.

  • Measures to reach the policy goals by 2030 is to train 30.000 skilled workers for their battery and supply chains, and develop partnerships and investments abroad to secure the supply of minerals in the order of:

    • 380,000 tonnes of lithium
    • 310,000 tonnes of nickel
    • 60,000 tonnes of cobalt
    • 600,000 tonnes of graphite
    • 50,000 tonnes of manganese
  • Japanese companies hold a strong position in global patent generation related to battery manufacturing, especially in the fields of active material (cathode and anode material) and solid-state batteries.

  • A key enabler in this ambition is Japan’s domestic R&D capacities and research infrastructure. Private sector initiatives are matched with cutting-edge research, joint development and testing projects at universities and research institutes.