This Monday, the Tokyo, Japan, government declared that by April 2025, all new residences and structures must have solar panels installed. With this change, Tokyo will become the first Japanese city to mandate solar electricity for all new homes. All new homes and structures with a total floor area of less than 2,000 square meters must install solar panels; however, homes with roofs less than 20 square meters are exempt from this requirement.

The government will collaborate with businesses and the community to establish a subsidy scheme to support encouraging uptake, according to the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike. 

For the system to begin smoothly, residents’ and business owners’ understanding and cooperation are essential. said Koike.

Additionally, additional energy-saving requirements will need to be met by developers, including the use of materials with high levels of thermal insulation and upgraded window sashes.

Koike expressed her hope that the new project will signal a turning point in time, at which point “Tokyo has changed.”

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions in the city by 2030 when it introduced the requirement for solar panels. Additionally, the government committed to a 50% increase in renewable energy.