PVGIS · SolarMapped

Solar potential in Japan

These figures are the unweighted mean of the city locations listed below, not a national average. Two urban points do not represent an entire country, its roofs or its solar installations.

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Sampled-city benchmark

Estimated PV output1,316kWh/kWp/year
Solar irradiation1,669kWh/m²/year

PV output is estimated electricity from 1 kWp of installed solar panels. Irradiation is sunlight energy received per square meter on the optimally tilted panel plane; it is not electricity.

For a 5 kWp system, multiply the electricity values by five. This simple scaling does not account for roof-specific shading or equipment constraints.

Range across these cities: 1,284–1,348kWh/kWp/year. Panel tilt and direction are location-specific; see each city.

Monthly solar irradiation and PV output

Highest-output month: March · 127.6kWh/kWp/month. Lowest-output month: June · 96.7kWh/kWp/month.

The chart and table use the mean of the listed cities for each month.

Bar lengths compare monthly PV electricity output; exact output and irradiation values are in the table.
Monthly solar irradiation and PV output — Japan
MonthEstimated PV output (kWh/kWp/month)Solar irradiation (kWh/m²/month)
January116.8138.6
February110.4132.2
March127.6157.1
April122.6154.9
May119.8155.4
June96.7128.2
July101.1136
August114.9154.5
September99.6131.5
October101.4129.8
November98.3121.9
December107.5128.9

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Data and methodology

PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission Joint Research Centre), crystalline silicon, fixed free-standing installation, 1 kWp, 14% system losses, equator-facing panels with optimized tilt and the terrain horizon. Long-term climate estimates are not a forecast or a roof survey. Nearby buildings, trees, roof constraints, snow and local conditions can change actual output.

PVGIS methodology · Sources and assumptions (English) · Download the underlying data (JSON)