On March 21, 2022, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) issued a warning over tight energy supply and asked people in Tokyo and Tohoku to save electricity.[1] The warning followed Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) announcement earlier in the day that a power shortage was possible due to cold weather and the suspension of some thermal power plants due to a powerful earthquake that hit northeastern Japan the week before on March 16, 2022. The earthquake stopped operations at six thermal plants, and the damage could leave some of them idle for weeks or months. The company requested customers to turn off unnecessary lights and set their heating at 20 C (68 F) to save electricity. Tohoku Electric Power also called on customers to limit their electricity usage. Late on March 22, 2022, METI said the country appeared likely to avoid blackouts but said they were keeping the power supply warning in place for the following day.[2]

[1] https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/03/b5e753617d95-japan-issues-warning-over-tight-energy-supply-in-tokyo-other-areas.html

[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-sees-partial-blackout-after-first-ever-power-supply-warning-2022-03-22/