Towards European “Smart Communities”? EU’s Energy Preoccupations and the Lesson of Post-Fukushima Japan

While Japan notoriously suffers from a structural lack of primary energy sources while being prone to natural disasters, it has been able to attain an unprecedented industrial development. The earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis of 2011 pushed successive national governments toward comprehensively reviewing its energy strategy, with substantial progress being made. The policies adopted by Japanese authority since 2011 point to the materialisation of community-based power networks, which, if adopted on a wider scale, might contribute to enhanced energy self-sufficiency and security. In the light of decarbonisation strategies adopted by both the EU and Japan and of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, this issue is even more urgent. For these reasons, increased communication and coordination on energy and urbanisation issues between EU and Japan is highly desirable.