Solar panels are laid out on both sides of the Hokuto Yatsugatake Parkway, a prefectural road.Even as these problems continue to mount, the debate over solar power generation is becoming more and more contentious, as Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is considering enacting an amendment to an ordinance requiring the installation of solar panels on new houses. The nationwide rush to build solar power plants began in 2012 with the start of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) system for electricity, which was introduced by the government to promote renewable energy. Yamanashi Prefecture also offers favorable conditions for solar power generation, with the second fewest number of rainy days per year in Japan, in addition to long hours of sunlight. “When I visited Hokuto City in Yamanashi Prefecture, which is said to have ‘the longest hours of sunlight in Japan,’ the first thing that caught my eye was the prefectural road Hokuto Yatsugatake Kogen Line, located just off the Nagasaka Interchange on the Chuo Expressway. The black solar panels lined up on both sides of the road, emitting a strong reflected light, caught the eyes of drivers as they drove by. In fact, the operator of this power plant is not a local company or individual, but a pachinko-related company headquartered in Meguro-ku, Tokyo.” “Most of the power generation facilities are outside the prefecture,” he said. “Even if they build a big power plant like that, it won’t lower the electricity bills of the residents in this area.” This is the opinion of a man who runs a farm in the city. He was right. We saw solar power plants owned by businesses outside the prefecture in various parts of the city. For example, in Takane Town, Hokuto City, where vast fields are spread out, solar panels were laid out to surround a large cemetery. The facility, surrounded by a wire fence, was equipped with security cameras, creating a somber atmosphere. A sign attached to the fence indicated that the operator was a company from Fukui Prefecture. (Continued in Part 2)