{
  "id": 10339239,
  "title": "Japan has no space for solar farms apart from old golf courses",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/japan-has-no-space-for-solar-farms-apart-from-old-golf-courses",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-28T02:09:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Japan Times",
    "slug": "japan-times",
    "url": "https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/09/28/companies/solar-farms-golf-courses/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The story of Japan's dwindling space for solar farms is set against the backdrop of the country's dense population and mountainous terrain. Gunma Prefecture, located about two hours from Tokyo, is home to Minohara Country Club, a site that may soon be transformed by solar panels. As developers around the world face limitations on large-scale solar projects, Japan's golf courses have emerged as one of the few viable options. Daisuke Toya, representative director of Kamisato Kensetsu, a company specializing in solar facility development, notes that there appears to be no space for mega solar projects in Japan. \"The most we could do is buy up the golf course to use the land,\" he explains. This shift towards repurposing existing green spaces highlights the urgency and ingenuity required to meet Japan's renewable energy goals in a highly populated nation.",
  "summary": "Solar farms need good sunlight, access to the power grid and to be fairly close to residential areas. Many golf courses tick those boxes.",
  "key_points": [
    "Japan faces limited space for solar farms due to dense population and mountains",
    "Golf courses identified as viable sites for solar projects in Japan",
    "Daisuke Toya of Kamisato Kensetsu highlights repurposing golf courses as solution"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Japan's reliance on repurposing golf courses for solar farms highlights the creative solutions needed to meet its renewable energy goals in a densely populated country with limited available land.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}