Who defines a just transition: epistemic justice and rural energy futures in Japan

Transitional clean energy policies tend to center technocratic solutions. This study, however, suggests that rural communities in Japan are experiencing the energy transition as a deeply cultural transformation spurred by the social, political, and ecological consequences of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. Qualitative data from 49 interview and survey respondents reveals how community members reinterpret the potential for renewable energy as a return to Japan’s Edo-era (1603–1867) traditions of circular living, community-led resource stewardship, and local self-sufficiency. This study documents rural critiques of large-scale renewable energy projects, demographic survival strategies such as kankei jinko (or 関係人口 [related populations]), and rural knowledge and culture as legitimate just transition expertise. By introducing epistemic justice as a core tenet in applied just transition research, this study addresses a conceptual gap through exploring the intersection of knowledge, culture, and identity in Japan’s energy transition.