On the surface, a natural fallout of the energy crisis triggered by the Iran war could see resource-poor Japan pivot to renewable energy in order to reduce its heavy dependence on oil from the Middle East. But two months since the start of the war, a sea change to energy policy looks like a long shot. In recent months, Japan has stepped up regulations against megasolar projects, which have proven unpopular in many corners of the country due to the destruction of the natural environment and lack of coordination with neighboring communities. Japan also announced it will stop offering subsidies for newly installed industrial-use solar panels from April 2027, while submitting a bill in the current parliament session to mandate the recycling of old panels. While some of these government measures may be justified to weed out unscrupulous operators, some analysts and civil society advocates say Japan can do more to promote the proper adoption of solar.…