Articles

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.

The peacetime logic of low-cost, efficient procurement transforms directly into vulnerability in times of crisis. The Strait of Hormuz crisis has laid this fact bare, and its essence lies in a structural reality: constraints on fuel itself cause "price" and "supply" to falter simultaneously. For companies, energy is no longer a mere cost item but a strategic foundation that defines business continuity and competitiveness. This article dissects the structure through which energy risks arise and considers the shift in corporate decision-making now required.

This article examines the ideal vision of mobility as part of a three-part series exploring the future of the mobility industry. Though we appear to drive mobility, we are in fact driven by it.Our values and the very form of our cities take shape in accordance with the specifications of the mobility systems offered to us — and not a few of the resulting arrangements are, at root, deeply skewed. By examining the major modes of mobility — automobiles, railways, aviation, and maritime transport — across sectors, this paper surfaces the distortions embedded in today's systems and articulates the configuration that mobility's future genuinely demands.

This article focuses on the automobile sector as part of a three-part series exploring the future of the mobility industry. The automotive industry, which has long been built on the assumption of private car vehicle ownership, is now confronting a major turning point. With population decline and the spread of autonomous driving, the once-absolute value placed on private vehicle ownership is beginning to erode, and automotive OEMs are being forced to adopt business structures that differ from those of the past. Building on a forecast of future private vehicle sales volumes for Japanese OEMs, this article explores the potential emergence of new business models in an era of declining private vehicle ownership.

This article focuses on the railway sector as part of a three-part series examining the future of the mobility industry. Japanese railway operators, which have long borne the burden of maintaining and renewing infrastructure, are now being forced to transform their traditional business structures due to declining revenues caused by population decline. Looking ahead to a future of accelerating depopulation, this article explores the business models that railway operators should aim to adopt.

The Japanese chemical industry is entering a new phase of structural reorganization. Companies in this industry are now shifting toward a strategy focused on selectivity and the reallocation of resources, aiming to sharpen their competitive strengths rather than simply grow in size. This paper takes a broad, industry-wide perspective to organize the key issues that the top management must confront, as well as tier-specific approaches across the value chain. By doing so, it seeks to offer insights that may help companies as they consider future industry reorganization.

In July of this year, the “GENIUS Act” was enacted in the United States, marking a significant advancement in the regulatory frameworks for stablecoins across Japan, the European Union, and the United States. As each jurisdiction has developed its own framework through distinct approaches, an environment conducive to the entry of financial institutions and technology companies is gradually emerging. This paper organizes recent international regulatory developments relating to stablecoins and examines their implications for Japan’s pioneering framework. Part I provides a comparative overview of the regulatory architectures in the United States, Europe, and Japan, while Part II addresses issues concerning supervisory implementation and challenges for private-sector deployment.

Life insurance was originally born as a mechanism of mutual aid within small, close-knit communities—“visible” groups of people. In recent years, however, amid shifts in consumer behavior, its value as a daily essential and social infrastructure has begun to waver. The key to reversing this trend lies in re-radicalizing life insurance—bringing it back to its origins—and doing so by embedding protection seamlessly into everyday life. This article reexamines the role that life insurance should play in the future and presents a vision in which it becomes more indispensable to society than ever before.