Electricity Retail Deregulation
METI Briefing for the Public
A man reads a report of the liberalization of the Japanese electricity retail market that will begin to take effect in April, at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry building on February 17, 2016, Tokyo, Japan. The liberalization of the power industry will mark the end of a decades-long monopoly by Japanese regional power companies. In 2015 over 200 companies applied for registration as power retailers including the convenience store Lawson Inc., and also the major mobile phone operators. From April consumers will be able to choose their power supplier for the first time. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)