On November 1, 2022, Japan requested that households and companies conserve electricity within "a reasonable range" from December 1, 2022, to March 23, 2023, to alleviate a possible power crunch.[1] During the peak winter season, users will be asked to turn off unnecessary lights, wear additional layers of clothing indoors, and turn down their thermostats. In recent years, the country’s power supply has been tight, largely due to the slow restart of nuclear power plants following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also disrupted global fuel supplies, adding further pressure. During a press conference, Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said, "The power situation remains severe though we expect to be able to secure the reserve ratio of 3% during the winter.” The trade minister also noted that other measures, such as rebooting idled power plants, making effective fuel procurement, and encouraging power conservation through a point program, were also being implemented.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/japan-asks-households-companies-conserve-electricity-during-winter-2022-11-01/