According to reports from various media outlets, Japan will offer additional subsidies for electric vehicle (EV) battery production. Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, Yasutoshi Nishimura, announced that the Japanese government will support 12 battery or related component/material/equipment projects with subsidies totaling 350 billion yen (approximately 173.95 billion RMB) to enhance Japan’s EV battery supply chain.
This move will increase Japan’s annual EV battery capacity by 50%, raising it from the current 80GWh to 120GWh. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry plans to further boost domestic capacity to 150GWh by 2030.
The government-backed projects include battery initiatives by Toyota and Nissan, as well as collaboration between Panasonic’s energy division and automakers like Subaru and Mazda.
Toyota has revealed that Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry has approved its next-generation battery and solid-state battery R&D and production plans. While specific investment figures and new factory details were not disclosed, Toyota will expand lithium battery production across two subsidiaries and establish a new EV battery factory in Fukuoka Prefecture by the end of 2028. This project will include a total investment of 250 billion yen (approximately 124.25 billion RMB), with around 85 billion yen in subsidies from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
Nissan’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery production plan has also received approval. The company intends to start equipping EVs with these batteries in the 2028 fiscal year, targeting an annual capacity of 5GWh, supported by up to 55.5 billion yen in subsidies.
In a joint statement, Panasonic’s energy division and Subaru announced the construction of a factory in Gunma Prefecture, northern Tokyo, to supply cylindrical batteries starting in the 2028 fiscal year. Additionally, Panasonic plans to supply cylindrical batteries to Subaru from its Osaka factory, starting in the 2027 fiscal year. The two companies aim to achieve an annual capacity of 16GWh at Gunma and 4GWh at Osaka by 2030.
Moreover, Panasonic will begin producing EV batteries for Mazda at its Osaka factories starting in the 2027 fiscal year.
It’s worth noting that Japan has previously provided multiple rounds of subsidies for its domestic EV battery sector. These include a 330 billion yen budget allocation in fiscal year 2022 for battery R&D and supply support, a 160 billion yen subsidy for Honda and GS Yuasa’s lithium battery investments in April 2023, and a 120 billion yen subsidy for Toyota’s EV battery investments in June 2023.
[Source – 上海有色网] 扶持本土电池产业链 日本计划补贴3500亿日元 目标将产能提升50% https://news.smm.cn/news/102943773
