From the front line of change, moving further forward together.

Regional banks in Japan face structural challenges: shrinking local economies driven by population decline, prolonged pressure on interest margins, and declining visibility into commerce flows as payments and customer touchpoints shift to external platforms. Traditional banking models reliant on financial statements and ex-post transaction data are increasingly unable to capture real-time local dynamics or provide practical, high-value client support. One potential lever is the combination of BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) services and advanced data analytics. This paper examines local economic contraction and the information-infrastructure constraints facing regional banks, with particular attention to the structural problem of limited commerce-flow visibility.

In Part I, we presented the results of an estimate indicating that electricity demand in 2050 could reach 1.5 times the current level. In Part II, we focused on next-generation nuclear power as a key technology for providing the supply capacity needed to meet that demand, and examined the challenges involved in promoting it as well as possible solutions. In this final installment, we frame the coming era—when the wave of carbon neutrality (CN) investment has run its course and CN is no longer the top priority—as the "world after the end of CN momentum." We then identify the social demands the industry will face in that era and consider what kinds of strategies can spare the industry future rework.

In Part I, we presented the results of an estimate indicating that electricity demand in 2050 could reach 1.5 times the current level, and examined the power generation mix that could meet such demand. The analysis confirmed the reality that even if renewable energy and thermal power generation were utilized to their fullest extent, around 40% of total electricity demand would still remain unmet, meaning that nuclear power would inevitably have to play a substantial role. In this second installment, we summarize trends in new technologies that address the greatest challenge facing nuclear power—safety—and examine the issues surrounding the promotion of nuclear power, as well as possible measures to resolve them.

Driven by a sharp increase in electricity demand, the electric power industry has once again entered a growth trajectory. At the same time, carbon neutrality (CN) initiatives are advancing at a rapid pace. Given the limited time remaining until 2050, there is no longer room to postpone discussions on “realistic CN measures.” On the other hand, when CN momentum eventually settles down, will the electric power industry be able to respond smoothly and without backtracking to the new social demands it will face? This article looks ahead to the world after the end of CN momentum and re-examines the initiatives currently underway. It then considers what kinds of strategies will prove effective for the industry over the long term.