Japan's government discount on electricity and gas bills returns for three months, from December 2026 usage to February 2027 usage. It starts one month earlier than last winter, and the unit rates are concentrated on January and February usage, when it is coldest. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) says a standard household saves about ¥7,000 over the three months.[Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, support overview (in Japanese)]
No application is needed. Power and gas companies deduct the discount from monthly bills automatically. Propane (LP gas) is not covered.
Unit discounts: December ¥1 for power and ¥4 for gas; January and February ¥4.5 and ¥18
| Usage month | Electricity, low voltage (homes) | Electricity, high voltage (businesses) | City gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2026 usage | ¥1.0/kWh | ¥0.5/kWh | ¥4.0/㎥ |
| January 2027 usage | ¥4.5/kWh | ¥2.3/kWh | ¥18.0/㎥ |
| February 2027 usage | ¥4.5/kWh | ¥2.3/kWh | ¥18.0/㎥ |
| March 2027 usage | Undecided (to be considered in light of the weather and energy prices) | ||
* City gas covers households and businesses with annual contracts under 10 million ㎥.[Electricity and Gas Price Support website (in Japanese)]
Discount by usage: 400kWh a month saves ¥4,000 over three months
The discount is "unit rate × amount used". If you use the same amount each month, the three-month total is 10 times your monthly kWh for electricity and 40 times your monthly ㎥ for city gas, in yen.
| Monthly usage | Dec usage | Jan usage | Feb usage | 3-month total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity 200kWh | ¥200 | ¥900 | ¥900 | ¥2,000 |
| Electricity 260kWh | ¥260 | ¥1,170 | ¥1,170 | ¥2,600 |
| Electricity 400kWh | ¥400 | ¥1,800 | ¥1,800 | ¥4,000 |
| Electricity 600kWh | ¥600 | ¥2,700 | ¥2,700 | ¥6,000 |
| City gas 20㎥ | ¥80 | ¥360 | ¥360 | ¥800 |
| City gas 30㎥ | ¥120 | ¥540 | ¥540 | ¥1,200 |
| City gas 50㎥ | ¥200 | ¥900 | ¥900 | ¥2,000 |
* This site's estimate. Usage normally rises in winter, so January and February discounts will be larger. The calculator on the official website assumes January and February usage about 20% above December's.
A household using 400kWh of electricity and 30㎥ of city gas saves about ¥5,200 over the three months. All-electric homes that heat with electricity use more and get a larger discount.
It first appears on the January meter reading: what "December usage" means
"December usage" generally means electricity or gas used from the meter-reading day in December to the meter-reading day in January. So the discount first appears on the statement for the January reading, and the last one, for February usage, on the March reading.
- December usage (December reading to January reading) → statement for the January reading
- January usage → statement for the February reading
- February usage → statement for the March reading
Bank transfers and card charges can come about a month after the reading. The November and December readings carry no discount, so the higher November bills after the summer discount ended will continue for a while (how much November bills rise after the discount ends).
Eligibility and cautions: no application; propane users should check local support
- No application: participating power and gas companies deduct the discount according to usage. New entrant power retailers apply the same rates if they participate (participants can be searched on the official website).
- Propane is not covered: the national government supports LP gas users through a grant to local governments (the Priority Support Local Grant). Check your municipality's notices for "LP gas support".[Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, LP gas support (in Japanese)]
- Beware of suspicious calls and emails: the agency warns that no personal information or fees are ever requested for the discount.
How businesses record the discounted power bill as an expense was covered for the summer support in the electricity and gas subsidy restart.
Summary
- The electricity and gas discount covers three months, from December 2026 usage to February 2027 usage. March usage is undecided.
- Low-voltage electricity gets ¥1.0 in December and ¥4.5 in January and February; city gas gets ¥4 in December and ¥18 in January and February.
- 400kWh of electricity saves ¥4,000 over three months and 30㎥ of city gas ¥1,200. The government cites about ¥7,000 for a standard household.
- The discount first appears on the January meter reading. No application is needed, and propane is not covered.
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References (sources)
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Electricity and Gas Price Support website (in Japanese)
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Energy price support (in Japanese) and support overview (PDF, in Japanese)
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, LP gas price support using the Priority Support Local Grant (in Japanese)
* The discounts by usage are this site's estimates, multiplying the published rates by usage. This article is general information as of 4 November 2026. Check your own discount on your power or gas company's statement.