Japan Coal Power: Generation, Share and Trend
Japan generated 330 TWh of electricity from coal in 2025, 32.1% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the 4th largest coal power producer in 2025 of the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Coal supplied 33.1% of the world's electricity in 2025. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through July 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- Japan generated 330 TWh of electricity from coal in 2025.
- Coal supplied 32.1% of Japan's electricity in 2025.
- Japan was the 4th largest coal power producer in 2025 among the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- Japan's coal generation in 2025 was 3% lower than in 2020, when it was 340 TWh.
- Japan's coal generation in 2025 was 6% lower than in 2015, when it was 350 TWh.
- Japan's coal generation peaked at 363 TWh in 2017.
- Japan's coal share in 2025 was below the world share of 33.1%.
- Japan had 54.6 GW of coal generating capacity in 2025.
- Coal power in Japan emitted 272 MtCO2 in 2025, 55% of the power sector's emissions.
Key Figures, 2025
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Coal generation | 330 TWh | 2025 · Ember |
| Share of Japan's electricity | 32.1% | 2025 · Ember |
| World share of coal | 33.1% | 2025 · Ember |
| Rank by coal generation (each country's latest year) | 4 of 85 | 2025 · Ember |
| Coal capacity | 54.6 GW | 2025 · Ember |
| Coal power emissions | 272 MtCO2 | 2025 · Ember |
Coal Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
| Year | Coal |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 101 TWh |
| 1986 | 100 TWh |
| 1987 | 109 TWh |
| 1988 | 114 TWh |
| 1989 | 118 TWh |
| 1990 | 121 TWh |
| 1991 | 128 TWh |
| 1992 | 134 TWh |
| 1993 | 143 TWh |
| 1994 | 160 TWh |
| 1995 | 172 TWh |
| 1996 | 182 TWh |
| 1997 | 192 TWh |
| 1998 | 196 TWh |
| 1999 | 215 TWh |
| 2000 | 238 TWh |
| 2001 | 254 TWh |
| 2002 | 264 TWh |
| 2003 | 292 TWh |
| 2004 | 295 TWh |
| 2005 | 319 TWh |
| 2006 | 311 TWh |
| 2007 | 317 TWh |
| 2008 | 334 TWh |
| 2009 | 312 TWh |
| 2010 | 317 TWh |
| 2011 | 285 TWh |
| 2012 | 334 TWh |
| 2013 | 363 TWh |
| 2014 | 356 TWh |
| 2015 | 350 TWh |
| 2016 | 339 TWh |
| 2017 | 363 TWh |
| 2018 | 361 TWh |
| 2019 | 351 TWh |
| 2020 | 340 TWh |
| 2021 | 348 TWh |
| 2022 | 351 TWh |
| 2023 | 327 TWh |
| 2024 | 327 TWh |
| 2025 | 330 TWh |
Annual statistics through 2025, % of generation
| Year | Japan | World |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 15.0% | n/a |
| 1986 | 14.8% | n/a |
| 1987 | 15.2% | n/a |
| 1988 | 15.1% | n/a |
| 1989 | 14.8% | n/a |
| 1990 | 13.7% | n/a |
| 1991 | 14.0% | n/a |
| 1992 | 14.6% | n/a |
| 1993 | 15.5% | n/a |
| 1994 | 16.2% | n/a |
| 1995 | 17.0% | n/a |
| 1996 | 17.7% | n/a |
| 1997 | 18.2% | n/a |
| 1998 | 18.5% | n/a |
| 1999 | 20.0% | n/a |
| 2000 | 21.7% | 38.0% |
| 2001 | 23.4% | 38.0% |
| 2002 | 24.0% | 38.3% |
| 2003 | 26.7% | 39.5% |
| 2004 | 26.4% | 39.0% |
| 2005 | 27.7% | 39.5% |
| 2006 | 26.7% | 40.2% |
| 2007 | 26.9% | 40.8% |
| 2008 | 28.2% | 40.2% |
| 2009 | 28.0% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | 39.8% |
| 2011 | 25.8% | 40.6% |
| 2012 | 30.2% | 39.9% |
| 2013 | 33.3% | 40.8% |
| 2014 | 33.5% | 40.5% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | 38.7% |
| 2016 | 31.8% | 37.8% |
| 2017 | 33.8% | 38.0% |
| 2018 | 33.3% | 38.0% |
| 2019 | 33.5% | 36.7% |
| 2020 | 33.7% | 35.4% |
| 2021 | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2022 | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2023 | 32.5% | 35.2% |
| 2024 | 32.2% | 34.2% |
| 2025 | 32.1% | 33.1% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity | Emissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 330 TWh | 32.1% | 33.1% | 54.6 GW | 272 MtCO2 |
| 2024 | 327 TWh | 32.2% | 34.2% | 55.3 GW | 270 MtCO2 |
| 2023 | 327 TWh | 32.5% | 35.2% | 55.6 GW | 270 MtCO2 |
| 2022 | 351 TWh | 33.7% | 35.6% | 53.3 GW | 290 MtCO2 |
| 2021 | 348 TWh | 33.7% | 36.0% | 50.6 GW | 288 MtCO2 |
| 2020 | 340 TWh | 33.7% | 35.4% | 48.7 GW | 282 MtCO2 |
| 2019 | 351 TWh | 33.5% | 36.7% | 47.1 GW | 291 MtCO2 |
| 2018 | 361 TWh | 33.3% | 38.0% | 46.3 GW | 299 MtCO2 |
| 2017 | 363 TWh | 33.8% | 38.0% | 46.1 GW | 301 MtCO2 |
| 2016 | 339 TWh | 31.8% | 37.8% | 45.7 GW | 281 MtCO2 |
Full year by year history for Japan
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.
Coal Generation Month by Month
Ember monthly statistics through July 2026Monthly statistics through July 2026, TWh
| Month | Coal |
|---|---|
| 2024-08 | 28.5 TWh |
| 2024-09 | 25.1 TWh |
| 2024-10 | 21.6 TWh |
| 2024-11 | 21.1 TWh |
| 2024-12 | 25.6 TWh |
| 2025-01 | 28.6 TWh |
| 2025-02 | 26.1 TWh |
| 2025-03 | 22.3 TWh |
| 2025-04 | 15.0 TWh |
| 2025-05 | 14.2 TWh |
| 2025-06 | 18.4 TWh |
| 2025-07 | 27.0 TWh |
| 2025-08 | 28.3 TWh |
| 2025-09 | 25.3 TWh |
| 2025-10 | 19.5 TWh |
| 2025-11 | 19.6 TWh |
| 2025-12 | 25.9 TWh |
| 2026-01 | 26.4 TWh |
| 2026-02 | 25.0 TWh |
| 2026-03 | 22.8 TWh |
| 2026-04 | 16.0 TWh |
| 2026-05 | 15.1 TWh |
| 2026-06 | 18.4 TWh |
| 2026-07 | 24.9 TWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of July 2026. Monthly figures for Japan can differ slightly from the annual totals.