Japan’s internal tug-of-war between renewables and fossil fuels is as fraught as ever. Just as the country’s first offshore wind project enters its construction phase, plans are taking shape for as many as 22 new coal-fired power plants. The country’s first utility-scale, commercial offshore wind project will enter its construction phase later this month, consisting of two installations totaling 140 MW. One installation is located off Akita Port and the other off Noshiro Port, both in Akita Prefecture. But this push for clean energy, ahead of this year’s Tokyo Olympics, has been stunted by the drive for more electricity generating capacity as a whole. This is primarily due to the Fukushima disaster in 2011 which has seen a vast reduction…