'Varieties of Energy': Convergence explaining Divergence. A Comparison between France and Japan

Few studies has been made on a comparison between France and Japan, and more especially on energy policies. These two countries seem at first smilar, based on the Most Similar System Design (Stuart Mills, 1974). By comparing similar cases, it is then easier to determine divergent factors (monopoly of historical stakeholders, strong nuclear part in the electricity mix, a restricted decision making etc.). This work aims at highligting the national institutional trajectories (Thatcher, 1999), their political ressources, natures of stakeholders. These elements lead us to conclude to « varieties of energies » as « varieties of capitalism » do exist (Hall, Soskice, 2001). From this « variety of nuclear energy » follows a « variety of renewable energies ». The analysis of the energy governance can help us to understand how renewable energies were hard to develop, regarding a domination of the nuclear energy in the electricity mix. Thus, the accident of Fukushima on March 11th 2011, acting as a focusing event (Birkland, 1998) triggered the energy transition movement and sped up a bigger change in both countries (the EU's will to go further on the energy common market whereas the french governement tried to resist to the change or the full liberalisation of the electricity market in Japan). The focus on the electricity market underlines the issues related to the regulation of the market by the State, the impact of policy tools adopted (as feed in tariffs) and the necessity of the electricity market transformation for developping more the renewable energies. In addition to the previous elements expressed, this presentation can also helps us to understand the influence of the EU on the renewable energies policies on a Member States's policy, regarding to another one without assuming the european influence.