The government of Japan is preparing to implement a mandate for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and take several other actions to support the production, supply and use of SAF within the country, according to a report filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network.

The report explains that Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on May 26 announced plans for SAF introduction and a SAF-focused biofuel target. A report issued by the agency calls for Japanese SAF suppliers to establish sufficient SAF manufacturing capacity and secure raw materials to produce SAF stably and at competitive prices. To stimulate domestic SAF production, the GAIN report indicates that METI plans to set a new target volume for SAF by 2030. This target would be separate from the recently published ethanol target of 500 million liters (132.09 million gallons) of crude oil equivalent for the transportation sector.

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) estimates that 1.7 billion liters of SAF would be required to replace 10 percent of the country’s jet fuel by 2030. Based on statements made by companies that intend to produce SAF in Japan, MLIT estimates that the country could have the capacity to produce about 1.9 billion gallons of SAF annually by 2030.

In addition to the SAF mandate, METI also plans to develop a capital investment subsidy program; exempt imported SAF from the fossil fuel import tariff; and support research, development, operation and certification acquisition.

A full copy of the GAIN report is available on the USDA website.