INSTITUTION PROFILE / PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS
METI
The ministry that sets Japan's targets and support framework for perovskite solar cells
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is a government ministry. It does not make solar cells. Its role is to set the national deployment and cost targets, draw up the R&D plan and create the subsidy schemes for mass-production plants. Japan's deployment target of "about 20 GW by 2040" and the subsidy for Sekisui Chemical's mass-production plant both come out of METI policy. This profile looks at one question only: how much influence METI actually has over perovskite solar cells.
What this article covers
- METI in 30 seconds
- What kind of body it is: the four types of influence
- What it does for perovskite solar cells
- How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
- The companies and organisations involved
- Outlook
- Glossary, references and claim-to-source audit
1. METI in 30 seconds
FULL NAMEMinistry of Economy, Trade and IndustryMETI; Keizai Sangyo-sho in Japanese
COUNTRYJapanSolar policy is handled by the New and Renewable Energy Division of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, an external agency of METI
TYPE OF BODYGovernment ministryHeaded by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Its external agencies are the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the Japan Patent Office and the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency
ESTABLISHED6 January 2001The date the Act for Establishment of METI took effect
STAFF (AUTHORISED)8,068The permanent figure in the Cabinet Order on staff numbers, for the whole ministry. A supplementary provision sets 8,146 until 30 September 2026
NATIONAL TARGETAbout 20 GW by 2040Next-Generation Solar Cell Strategy (November 2024), also written into the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan
ROLE IN PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLSTargets, R&D planning and subsidies for production equipmentNEDO runs the research calls; the Ministry of the Environment subsidises buyers
REACHFactories, research and deployment in JapanNo power to bind foreign companies directly. Influences international standards by making proposals to the IEC
The one thing to grasp first
METI is the body that drew up Japan's national policy of pursuing "establishing mass-production technology", "building production capacity" and "creating demand" together, as a single package Sourced. The deployment target (about 20 GW by 2040), the generation cost target (¥14/kWh in 2030), the R&D plan and the subsidy scheme for mass-production plants all come out of METI policy. The day-to-day work, however, is shared out: NEDO runs the R&D calls and manages the projects, the Ministry of the Environment runs the subsidies for buyers, and the IEC decides international standards. METI's influence sits upstream of that division of labour, in setting the direction and the size of the budget.
2. What kind of body it is: the four types of influence
Unlike the companies in this series, none of the institutions that appear in perovskite solar cell coverage makes solar cells. What separates them is the route by which they influence the industry, and that gives four types.
3. What it does for perovskite solar cells
METI's involvement falls into four kinds of activity: setting targets, planning R&D, subsidising production equipment and putting rules and systems in place Sourced.
| Measure | When | What it involves | Who does the work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next-Generation Solar Cell Strategy | November 2024 | Deployment of about 20 GW by 2040 (about 40 GW or more if costs fall sharply). On generation cost: technology capable of ¥20/kWh in 2025 and ¥14/kWh in 2030, and ¥10 to ¥14/kWh or less in 2040. Gigawatt-scale production capacity at an early stage, by 2030. Its content was written into the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan, adopted by the Cabinet in February 2025 | A public-private council (172 local governments take part). The contact point is the New and Renewable Energy Division of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy |
| Green Innovation Fund "Development of Next-Generation Solar Cells" | First projects selected December 2021 | Budget capped at ¥105.1 billion. Targets: generation cost of ¥14/kWh or less for single-junction cells, and ¥12/kWh or less with conversion efficiency of 30% or more for tandem cells. From FY2025 demonstration of mass-production technology for tandem cells was added, and Choshu Industry and Kaneka were selected in February 2026. For newly selected projects, an overseas demonstration is mandatory | NEDO runs the calls, selection and progress management |
| GX Supply Chain Support Program | Awardees announced 25 December 2024 | Covers production equipment for film-type (flexible) finished products and for laser processing equipment. Sekisui Chemical (eligible cost ¥314.5 billion, subsidy capped at ¥157.2 billion) and Kataoka Corporation (¥6.87 billion and ¥3.44 billion respectively) were selected. As of May 2026 a call for tandem projects was also open | The program's secretariat |
| Expanded fixed-asset tax relief | FY2026 tax reform | Within the relief for renewable generating equipment, silicon-based solar is excluded, and the tax base for perovskite cells (limited to products made by Green Innovation Fund awardees) is halved. The measure applies until 31 March 2029 | Each municipality sets the reduction within a fixed range (a local-option measure) |
| Preparing for international standardisation | From March 2024 | A committee on international standardisation was set up, with AIST and others working on performance evaluation standards, and a policy of drafting IEC standards. As of May 2026 a performance evaluation method had been proposed as a new international standard, with work aimed at publication within FY2026 | AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) and others |
| Design and installation guidelines | 18 March 2026 | First edition of design and installation guidelines for flexible solar cells (building-mounted) | Published by NEDO |
| Related budget for FY2026 | Passed 7 April 2026 | A program supporting deployment by buyers, ¥7 billion (¥5.02 billion the previous year); part of the ¥49.7 billion for the GX Supply Chain Support Program; and part of ¥3.1 billion for installation guidelines and recycling technology development | Deployment support is run by the Ministry of the Environment, working with METI |
A materials engineer's view: support leans towards film-type cells
The subsidy for production equipment (the GX Supply Chain Support Program) covers finished film-type products and the laser processing equipment used to make them. The Ministry of the Environment's deployment subsidy is likewise limited to film-type cells Sourced. Glass-type cells are handled within Green Innovation Fund R&D (Panasonic Holdings). Tandem cells were added to the Green Innovation Fund in FY2025, and as of May 2026 the call for production-equipment subsidies for them was still open. For tandem cells, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy has floated a plan to build the market first in residential rooftops, where Japanese companies hold about 70% of the domestic market, and then to target the replacement of ground-mounted plants as their FIT/FIP support periods expire from FY2032 onwards. For a supplier of encapsulants, barrier films or substrates, that means domestic demand comes from film-type cells for now, with tandem cells as the next wave.
4. How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
| Aspect | What METI has | What it does not have |
|---|---|---|
| Powers | The power to set national deployment and cost targets, draw up the R&D plan for the Green Innovation Fund and create subsidy schemes for production equipment. The expansion of fixed-asset tax relief is also set out in the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy's documents | Running the research calls (NEDO), running the call for buyer subsidies (Ministry of the Environment), deciding international standards (IEC). A new FIT/FIP category for perovskite cells has not yet been created |
| Geography | Factories, research and deployment in Japan. Subsidies go to manufacturing sites in Japan | Any power to bind foreign companies or other countries' markets directly. Its reach overseas is limited to indirect influence through cooperation with like-minded countries and proposals for IEC standards |
| Cell types | Mass production and deployment of film-type cells are supported first. Glass-type and tandem cells are supported through Green Innovation Fund R&D and demonstration | As of May 2026 the call for tandem production-equipment subsidies was open, and no awardees had been announced |
| Scale | 8,068 authorised staff (whole ministry, all fields). Subsidy caps for the two companies total about ¥160.7 billion; the Green Innovation Fund project is capped at ¥105.1 billion | We could not find a single total for national spending on perovskite solar cells in the primary sources |
A note on reading the numbers
Sekisui Chemical's "¥314.5 billion" is the total capital investment eligible for support; the subsidy is half of that, capped at ¥157.2 billion. The list of awardees notes that the amounts "may differ from the subsidy actually granted" Sourced. The combined cap of about ¥160.7 billion for the two companies is our own sum Our calculation. Note too that "about 20 GW" is a target for 2040, and "about 40 GW or more" is the figure if costs fall sharply.
5. The companies and organisations involved
Links to the company profiles in this series
| Company | Link to METI measures (as stated in primary sources) | Link to this series |
|---|---|---|
| Sekisui Chemical | Selected for the GX Supply Chain Support Program (film-type, subsidy capped at ¥157.2 billion). In the Green Innovation Fund mass-production demonstration, Sekisui Solar Film is the lead company and Sekisui Chemical is also an implementer | Company profile in preparation |
| Panasonic (Panasonic Holdings) | Green Innovation Fund theme "Mass-production technology development and field demonstration of glass-type perovskite solar cells" | Company profile in preparation |
| EneCoat Technologies | Green Innovation Fund commercialisation project (ended in FY2025) and mass-production technology development and demonstration | Company profile in preparation |
| Kaneka | Green Innovation Fund commercialisation project (ended in FY2025) and mass-production technology development and demonstration for tandem cells | Company profile in preparation |
| Aisin | After the Green Innovation Fund commercialisation project (ended in FY2025), selected in August 2026 for "Mass-production technology and field demonstration of lightweight thin-glass perovskite solar cells" | Company profile in preparation |
| Toshiba | Green Innovation Fund commercialisation project (material and device design and manufacturing processes for film-type cells; ended in FY2025) | Company profile in preparation |
| Kataoka Corporation, Ricoh, Choshu Industry | Kataoka Corporation is in the GX Supply Chain Support Program; Ricoh and Choshu Industry are in the Green Innovation Fund | Not covered in this series |
NEDO's implementation-structure page does not show how much each Green Innovation Fund awardee receives.
6. Outlook
| What the evidence suggests | Primary information it rests on | Category |
|---|---|---|
| A new FIT/FIP category for perovskite cells is unlikely to be created soon | Documents from the Procurement Price Calculation Committee (January 2026) say discussion will continue on starting support under a new category once generation costs fall below retail electricity price levels, and that progress on mass production, cost reduction and budget-funded deployment support will continue to be monitored | Inference |
| The focus of support will widen from the domestic market for film-type cells to tandem cells (residential first, then replacement of ground-mounted plants) | Mass-production demonstration of tandem cells was added to the Green Innovation Fund in FY2025. Agency for Natural Resources and Energy documents float a plan to start with residential use and target ground-mounted replacement from FY2032 | Inference |
| FY2027, when Sekisui Chemical's 100 MW-class line is due to start operating, will be the first milestone on the way to gigawatt-scale production | An Agency for Natural Resources and Energy document (April 2026) states that 100 MW of supply capacity is scheduled to start operating in FY2027 | Inference |
| If the evaluation method proposed by Japan becomes an IEC standard, national influence will extend to how products are tested and evaluated in overseas markets. The actual publication date depends on IEC deliberations | The Next-Generation Solar Cell Strategy says draft IEC standards will be considered, and the public-private council's May 2026 document says work is aimed at publication within FY2026 | Inference |
7. Glossary
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE)
- An external agency of METI responsible for a stable supply and appropriate use of energy. It is in charge of policy on deploying solar cells.
- Next-Generation Solar Cell Strategy
- A national strategy compiled by a public-private council in November 2024. It sets targets for deployment, cost and production capacity.
- Green Innovation Fund
- A fund set up at NEDO that supports company projects over the long term, from R&D through to deployment in society.
- GX Supply Chain Support Program
- A program that subsidises investment in domestic manufacturing equipment for products needed for decarbonisation ("GX" stands for green transformation). For perovskite cells it covers finished film-type products and laser processing equipment.
- FIT/FIP
- Japan's feed-in tariff (FIT), under which renewable electricity is bought at a fixed price, and feed-in premium (FIP), which adds a set premium to the market price. Prices are discussed by the Procurement Price Calculation Committee.
- Tax-base relief
- A measure that reduces the assessed value on which fixed-asset tax is calculated to a set fraction. Halving the base halves the tax.
8. References
- e-Gov Law Search Act for Establishment of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Act No. 99 of 1999) (in Japanese): establishment, mission, external agencies (Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Japan Patent Office, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency), the mission of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, and the date of entry into force (6 January 2001). https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/411AC0000000099
- e-Gov Law Search Cabinet Order on the Fixed Number of Personnel of Administrative Organs (Cabinet Order No. 121 of 1969, reflecting the amendment in force from 31 July 2026) (in Japanese): METI's authorised staff of 8,068 and the temporary figure of 8,146 until 30 September 2026. https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/344CO0000000121
- Public-Private Council for Expanding Deployment and Strengthening Industrial Competitiveness of Next-Generation Solar Cells Next-Generation Solar Cell Strategy (November 2024) (in Japanese): the deployment target of about 20 GW (about 40 GW or more), overseas expansion, policy measures, cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, and the committee on international standardisation and its work on draft IEC standards. https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/energy_environment/perovskite_solar_cell/pdf/20241128_1.pdf
- METI Page of the Public-Private Council for Expanding Deployment and Strengthening Industrial Competitiveness of Next-Generation Solar Cells (in Japanese): meeting history, with the New and Renewable Energy Division of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy as contact point. https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/energy_environment/perovskite_solar_cell/index.html
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy "Promoting the deployment of perovskite solar cells" (in Japanese, April 2026): outline of the strategy, the 172 local governments on the public-private council, Sekisui Chemical's 100 MW supply capacity (due to start in FY2027), the five projects selected for deployment support and the FY2026 budget, the first edition of the installation guidelines (published by NEDO on 18 March 2026), and the expansion of fixed-asset tax relief. https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/category/saving_and_new/saiene/community/dl/10_11.pdf
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy "Additional initiatives in the Development of Next-Generation Solar Cells project" (in Japanese, July 2025; Document 5 for an Industrial Structure Council meeting): the reference in the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan, the addition of tandem cells, the plan to move from residential use to ground-mounted replacement, and the R&D targets. https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/sankoshin/green_innovation/green_power/pdf/012_05_00.pdf
- NEDO Green Innovation Fund website, "Development of Next-Generation Solar Cells" overview (in Japanese): the ¥105.1 billion budget cap, generation cost and conversion efficiency targets, R&D content and selection history. https://green-innovation.nedo.go.jp/project/next-generation-solar-cells/
- NEDO Green Innovation Fund website, "Implementation structure and business strategy visions" for the same project (in Japanese): themes and implementers by R&D area, and the themes that ended in FY2025. https://green-innovation.nedo.go.jp/project/next-generation-solar-cells/scheme/
- GX Supply Chain Support Program secretariat Program page (in Japanese): purpose, eligible products (finished film-type products and laser processing equipment), program period and history of awardee announcements. https://gx-supplychain.jp/index.html
- GX Supply Chain Support Program secretariat Awardees of the second call (perovskite solar cells), 25 December 2024 (in Japanese): eligible costs and maximum subsidy amounts. https://gx-supplychain.jp/assets/pdf/gx_list_saitaku20241225.pdf
- Ministry of the Environment Press release, "Calls open for the perovskite solar cell deployment support program and the program to promote lower prices for solar power equipment" (in Japanese; calls opened 4 September 2025, limited to film-type cells). https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_00623.html
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Procurement Price Calculation Committee, Document 1, "On solar power" (in Japanese, January 2026): discussion of creating a new category of generating equipment. https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/santeii/pdf/110_01_00.pdf
- Secretariat of the Public-Private Council for Expanding Deployment and Strengthening Industrial Competitiveness of Next-Generation Solar Cells "Recent developments concerning next-generation solar cells" (in Japanese, 20 May 2026, 10th meeting): the FY2026 budget, the selection of two tandem projects (February 2026) and the GX Supply Chain Support Program's call for tandem projects, the recipients of deployment support, work towards publishing an international standard within FY2026, and the requirement for overseas demonstrations in the Green Innovation Fund. https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/energy_environment/perovskite_solar_cell/pdf/010_01_00.pdf
- NEDO Project summary for the Next-Generation Single-Junction Solar Cell Demonstration Project (in Japanese; Attachment 2 to the selection announcement of 6 August 2026): the newly selected theme "Mass-production technology and field demonstration of lightweight thin-glass perovskite solar cells" and Aisin. https://www.nedo.go.jp/content/800059483.pdf
9. Claim-to-source audit
| Claim in the article | Category | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Date of establishment (6 January 2001), headed by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, the three external agencies and the mission of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy | Sourced | Reference 1 https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/411AC0000000099 |
| Authorised staff of 8,068, and the temporary figure of 8,146 until 30 September 2026 | Sourced | Reference 2 https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/344CO0000000121 |
| About 20 GW by 2040 (about 40 GW or more), cost targets, gigawatt-scale production capacity, overseas expansion, cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, work on draft IEC standards | Sourced | Reference 3 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/energy_environment/perovskite_solar_cell/pdf/20241128_1.pdf |
| The public-private council's contact point is the New and Renewable Energy Division of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy | Sourced | Reference 4 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/energy_environment/perovskite_solar_cell/index.html |
| The three-part policy, 172 local governments, 100 MW due to start in FY2027, the first edition of the installation guidelines, the expansion of fixed-asset tax relief | Sourced | Reference 5 https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/category/saving_and_new/saiene/community/dl/10_11.pdf |
| The reference in the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan, the addition of tandem cells, the plan to move from residential use to replacement, and Japanese companies' share of about 70% of the residential market | Sourced | Reference 6 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/sankoshin/green_innovation/green_power/pdf/012_05_00.pdf |
| The Green Innovation Fund project's ¥105.1 billion budget cap, its targets and the first selection (December 2021) | Sourced | Reference 7 https://green-innovation.nedo.go.jp/project/next-generation-solar-cells/ |
| Green Innovation Fund implementers and theme titles, and the themes that ended in FY2025 | Sourced | Reference 8 https://green-innovation.nedo.go.jp/project/next-generation-solar-cells/scheme/ |
| What the GX Supply Chain Support Program covers (finished film-type products and laser processing equipment) | Sourced | Reference 9 https://gx-supplychain.jp/index.html |
| Eligible costs and subsidy caps for Sekisui Chemical and Kataoka Corporation, and the note that actual grants may differ | Sourced | Reference 10 https://gx-supplychain.jp/assets/pdf/gx_list_saitaku20241225.pdf |
| Deployment subsidies for buyers are called by the Ministry of the Environment and limited to film-type cells | Sourced | Reference 11 https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_00623.html |
| No new FIT/FIP category has been created, and discussion continues | Sourced | Reference 12 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/santeii/pdf/110_01_00.pdf |
| The FY2026 related budget (¥7 billion for deployment support and so on), selection of two tandem projects and the GX Supply Chain Support Program's tandem call, work towards publishing an international standard within FY2026, mandatory overseas demonstrations | Sourced | Reference 13 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/energy_environment/perovskite_solar_cell/pdf/010_01_00.pdf |
| Aisin's selection in August 2026 (mass-production demonstration of thin-glass cells) | Sourced | Reference 14 https://www.nedo.go.jp/content/800059483.pdf |
| The four types of institution, and the selection of Green Innovation Fund implementers | Our calculation | Our own classification and selection |
| Combined subsidy cap of about ¥160.7 billion for the two companies | Our calculation | Our own sum of the two figures in reference 10 |
| Total national spending on perovskite solar cells, and the amount allocated to each Green Innovation Fund awardee | Not yet confirmed | Not stated in references 5, 7 or 8; this article does not estimate them |
| The actual publication date of the IEC standard | Not yet confirmed | Reference 13 says only that work is aimed at publication within FY2026; this article does not estimate it |
| The four points in the outlook (section 6) | Inference | This article's reading of references 3, 5, 6, 12 and 13 |
Last updated 25 September 2026 / Troy Technical
All figures come from Japanese legislation, documents published by METI, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy and the Ministry of the Environment, NEDO's Green Innovation Fund website and the list of GX Supply Chain Support Program awardees. Items marked "Inference" are this article's reading of the primary information, not statements by METI.